Winter Wonderland
by drobin
Summary: Preparing for the annual Winter Ball, Booth and Brennan both run into circumstances that could keep them away from it this year. Was originally a submission for the December CBC, but due to the requests for more chapters, I am withdrawing the entry.
1. Problems Arise

Winter Wonderland

A/N: This is my submission for the December Cullen's Bullpen Challenge. Story is meant to be a one-shot, but I might consider continuing the storyline if inspiration strikes.

Summary: While preparing for the Jeffersonian's Winter Ball, Booth and Brennan come across circumstances that may keep them from attending.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones. I wish I did, although I think the honor belongs to Shoot the Moon Productions.

December 11, 2006

Temperance Brennan was taking advantage of a lull in the activity of the Jeffersonian to get some much-needed writing done for her latest novel, when she heard a knock at the door. Glancing up, she noticed it was her partner, Seeley Booth. She sighed and waved him in, saving her work and exiting out of the program.

"We have a case?" she asked, confident that that could be the only reason he would interrupt her.

"Nope. Was just wondering what time I should pick you up for the Winter Ball on Friday," he replied, smirking.

"You aren't picking me up for the party, Booth. I already told you that I'm not going."

"Bones, listen to me. You have to go; as the Jeffersonian's head Forensic Anthropologist, you're required. I'm required to go, too, since I'm your partner, so we may as well go together and avoid the awkwardness of inviting people we'd rather not see to a party we'd rather not go to."

Temperance cracked a smile. "You can't honestly tell me that you'd rather not go to this party, Booth," she stated. "The chance to drink and dance and flirt with pretty women is your ideal evening."

"Yeah, under normal circumstances, you're right; I'd be all over that. But this isn't a _party_ party, this is a diplomat's excuse to wine and dine the elite of Washington Society. It's boring." Seeley punctuated his final statement with a horizontal hand-swipe.

"Another reason we shouldn't go," Temperance responded, not bothering to inform him that he had been mistaken calling the Director of the Jeffersonian Institute a diplomat, or people such as herself or her colleagues the "elite" of Washington Society.

"We're required to go," Booth repeated.

"Where is it written that we are _required_ to go any place we don't want to?" Tempe queried, an 'are-you-insane-or-are-you-just-trying-to-drive-me-there' look on her face.

"Right here on the invitation," he answered, producing the offending piece of cardstock.

"Unfortunately, the G-Man's right," Hodgins announced, entering the office with Angela and Zack.

"Let me see that!" Temperance huffed, snatching the invitation out of Booth's hands before he had a chance to react. Sure enough, it was mandatory for all personnel to attend the function, specifically announcing that work would not be an acceptable excuse not to attend. "Damn it!" She had really hoped to be able to use the time finishing the chapter on her book that was already two weeks overdue.

Booth smiled triumphantly at her defeated look. "So, what time should I pick you up?"

"Why aren't you asking Cam that question?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

He shook his head, giving her a 'you-are-so-dense' look. "Cam and I have been over for weeks, Bones. She's been seeing some diplomat in the White House, who looks suspiciously like Goodman. So again I ask, what time am I picking you up?"

She glared at him before replying, "6," in a clipped tone.

Hodgins reached out, clapping a hand over Angela's mouth, effectively muffling the squeal that escaped. She wiggled out of his grasp and ran to her friend, pulling her toward the door. The men heard something about "mall" and "dresses" before the two women were gone.

Three hours and fifteen boutiques later, Temperance entered her apartment, exhausted from the afternoon's activities. It had taken them 7 stores to find a dress that satisfied all of Angela's requirements for formal wear. Then they had to hunt for shoes, jewelry, hair pieces, evening bags, and coats. _I still don't understand why I had to buy all that just for one night_, she mused to herself.

Temperance had to admit, though, the result was astounding. They had found a dress for Tempe the same unique shade of blue as her eyes that had a silver, shimmery overlay. The dress was floor length, slit thigh-high up each of the six seams around the skirt.

The bodice hugged her lithe figure to perfection and was held up by three straps on each shoulder – studded with Cubic Zirconia – that crossed in the back. The neckline was on the modest side, covering her chest, but allowing the slightest bit of décolletage to peak out. However, the back was shocking. It plunged down to just-this-side-of-decent.

Temperance placed the garment bag and the various accessory bags on her bed before heading back out to the kitchen to grab herself a glass of wine. On the way, she noticed the blinking light on her answering machine, and pressed the play button, fully expecting it to be Booth calling with some inane detail for the party. She was surprised by the voice she actually heard coming out of the machine.

"Tempe? It's Russ. I need your help. Amy's been threatened because of her association to me, and she needs to come with me and Dad. But we can't take the girls with us. We're packing up their stuff now; we should be at your place by eight tonight. Remember, Katie's 8 and Hayley is 6 with a lung condition. Try to memorize their names before we get there. See ya tonight." The machine clicked, indicating the end of the call, but Temperance still stared at the machine as if expecting the voice to announce the joke it must be playing on her.

_I know he doesn't expect me to take in those kids,_ she thought to herself. _I'm uncomfortable enough just talking about Parker to Booth_. She was brought out of her musings by an abrupt knock on the door. Glancing at the clock on her stove, she noticed it was 7:47. _Maybe if I pretend I'm not here, he'll go away_.

No such luck. "Marco!" yelled Russ's muffled voice through the door.

She sighed, slumping, before straightening and heading to the door. "Polo," she answered, unlocking the deadbolt. In trooped Russ, Max, a tiny blonde woman, and two scared-looking little girls, all carrying various pieces of luggage. Temperance sighed again. Much as she hated this arrangement – and the circumstances surrounding it – this was still her family, and she couldn't very well refuse these little girls a safe place to stay.

She smiled wanly at the woman and grabbed one of her bags. "You must be Amy," she held out her hand. "I'm Temperance."

The woman smiled back. Her smile reminded Temperance of her mother for some reason. "It's nice to finally meet you. Russ has said a lot of wonderful things about you. These are my daughters; this is Katie, and this is Hayley. Girls, say hello to Dr. Brennan."

"You can call me Tempe," she offered, knowing it would be awfully hard for little girls to say "Dr. Brennan" every time they needed her attention for something. "After all," she continued, glancing at Russ, "we are practically family."

"Are you sure you'll be OK here with the girls, Temperance?" Max asked.

"Why shouldn't I be?" she asked, looking at her father as if he'd grown a second head. "I'm perfectly capable of providing food and shelter for the-"

"Because you're a target, too, remember?" he interrupted impatiently.

She rolled her eyes. "As I mentioned to Russ the last time I saw him, I spend half my time with a sniper-trained FBI agent. I'm perfectly safe, and now the girls are, too."

At Amy's frightened look, Russ explained. "Don't worry, babe; he's just her partner. Speaking of who, where is the asshole?"

"He's not an asshole, and it's 'whom', not 'who'," Temperance replied, picking up the bag she had taken from Amy and heading toward the back hallway. "Girls, the spare room is back here. Let me show you, and you can unpack and get settled before we figure out what we're doing for dinner. Will you three join us?" she settled her gaze on her father, knowing he would be the only one to answer her, anyhow.

He shook his head. "We really gotta get going. We'll just put the girls' things in their room and head out."

As he passed Temperance's bedroom, Russ noticed the bags on her bed. "Tempe, are you going to a party or something?" he called, indicating the pile once she came out of the spare room.

"Damn! Yeah, there's a winter party for work that I'm required to go to on Friday. Booth and I were supposed to go together, but I'll call him tomorrow and let him know that something came up. It's not a problem, really."

"We don't want to intrude on your plans, though, Dr. Brennan," Amy piped in behind her.

Temperance spun around, a pleading look in her eyes. "Oh, please intrude. I can't stand these functions, but I'm not usually allowed to get out of them."

"Can't you just take the girls?" Max asked.

"Not to a formal party like this, Dad. The girls have nothing to wear, and they'd probably be the only children there," Russ replied.

"It's fine," Temperance emphasized. "I'll call Booth, let him know I have a family emergency that needs my attention, and the girls and I will have a quiet evening at home. Maybe we can pick up a board game or two this week and play it that night."

"Are you sure we're not infringing on your plans, Dr. Brennan?" Amy asked.

"_Trust_ me. This is the one area of my job that I can't stand. And you can call me Temperance, you know. Again, we _are_ practically family."

Amy smiled, and Temperance was again struck by how like Christine Brennan this woman seemed. "Thank you, Temperance." Max, Russ, and Amy hugged the girls, then hugged Temperance, and left.

Tempe looked at the girls, wondering what she had gotten herself into. She smiled and hoped her insecurity didn't show. "What should we have for dinner?" she asked brightly.

December 12, 2006

The phone rang just as he was heading out of the office for the day. He thought he would stop at Wong Foo's, pick up some Thai, then head over to Bones' house to ask about her father's latest escapade. Sources had spotted him in the DC area the day before, and Booth was determined not to let Max Keenan – or Matthew Brennan, or whatever the hell he was going by now – upset Bones any more than he already had.

"Booth," he shouted into the receiver.

"Nice to talk to you, too, Seeley," Rebecca answered wryly.

"Sorry, I thought you were someone else. Is everything OK? Is Parker OK?" he asked. His ex never called unless there was something wrong with their son.

"Parker's fine, Seeley. But you need to pick him up."

"What? It's not the weekend. _And_, it's not my weekend, at that," he answered, confused. She never let him take Parker on an off-week unless she had a pre-arranged engagement.

"I know. But you need to pick him up. I have to go to Cincinnati tonight; my grandmother had a heart attack and has slipped into a coma," she retorted, tears streaming down her face.

"Is she OK?" Booth asked, suddenly concerned.

"I don't know. But I don't think so; the doctors are saying that if she doesn't come out of the coma by Friday, they'll have to pull the plug." She was openly crying now, and it pulled at Booth's heart. He knew how much Rebecca's grandmother meant to her.

"Hey, hey, easy. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." He paused. "Do you need a ride to the airport?"

He couldn't see it, but she shook her head. "No, Drew's going with me, so we'll just take his car once you get here and pick up the munchkin."

Booth bit back the retort that came to his lips. He was really trying to like Drew, for Parker's sake. "OK," he answered. "See you in a few."

He flipped the phone shut and wondered how he would tell Brennan that, after all his smirking and cocky persuading, he would have to bow out of going to the party and she was on her own. _She's gonna think I did it on purpose_, he mused. He resolved that, after he picked up Parker, he would still head to Wong Foo's for dinner and he and Parker would eat with Brennan. _Besides_, he told himself, _I still need to find out about Max_.

"Coming!" Temperance called from the couch. She had her laptop out and was working on the latest chapter while the girls were in their room, doing their homework. Amy had gotten all their remaining work for the time until Christmas break, and given it to Temperance. Anything the girls didn't understand, they would ask her to explain. The adults had decided that, if Amy and Russ were still in hiding after the winter break, Temperance would go ahead and enroll the girls in school here in DC.

The knock sounded again, and Temperance saved her work, annoyed. "Just a second!" she yelled, heading to the door. She threw it open to reveal Booth, holding a box of steaming containers from Wong Foo's, and Parker, holding a bag that undoubtedly had dipping sauces, fortune cookies, and chopsticks in it.

"Mind if we come in, Bones?" Booth asked, smiling his most charming smile.

Temperance smiled wryly and held the door open wider, allowing father and son to come tromping in. "Smells great," she sniffed appreciatively. "I just hope you brought enough."

"Are you kidding? There's more than enough food for you and me and my four-year-old son, Bones," he pointed out while setting the box on the kitchen table. "Speaking of whom," he turned around, looking sheepish.

"You're backing out on me, aren't you?" she demanded, hands on hips.

He winced. "Yes, but I really couldn't say no. I mean, Parker's my son, and Rebecca's grandmother is sick, and she couldn't take him with her, and-" He stopped short when he noticed that Temperance was giggling so hard she was holding her middle. "Just what is so funny, Temperance?" he demanded, not realizing he had called her by her given name.

"I was going to call you today and back out, but I had so much work to do that I forgot." She stopped laughing long enough to glance at something behind him, and wave. Two little girls came into view and stood on either side of her. "This is Katie and Hayley Smithson. Russ is dating their mother, Amy." She explained about why the girls were there and how she had agreed to take them in for the time being. When she had finished her story, Booth stood looking at her for a moment, then he began laughing as well.

"So, I guess we're both missing the party, huh?" Booth asked, pulling the various containers out of the box, while Temperance went to get plates.

"Katie, can you get the juice out of the refrigerator, please?" she asked.

"What should we do on Friday, then?" Booth continued.

"What do you mean? The girls and I went shopping today and picked up a board game called 'Clue'. We've decided to play that. You and Parker are welcome to join us, if you'd like to," she offered.

"You're going to play 'Clue'," he asked incredulously. "Oh, this I gotta see." He laughed.

The phone rang and the voice on the caller ID said "Angela Montenegro" mechanically. Knowing she was calling because Tempe had told her earlier that she wouldn't be attending the party because of the girls, Temperance let the machine get it.

"Sweetie, I know you're there, but I'm gonna pretend you're not so I can get back to Hodgie. I spoke to Goodman today, and he says if he has to go, then you have to go, potential nieces or no. He says there will be a lot of people taking their kids, himself included, and you are no exception. Oh, and tell that hunky piece of FBI standard-issue body armor that Rebecca called the lab looking for him and told me all about him having Parker, and he can't hide behind the kid excuse either. See you tomorrow, Bren." The voice rang off.

Booth and Temperance looked at the machine, looked at each other, looked at the kids, and looked back at each other before bursting out laughing again. "So, I'm a 'hunky piece of FBI standard-issue body armor', am I? How cheap-sounding." Booth commented, smirking, once they had calmed down.

Temperance glared at him. "Her words, not mine," she replied.

He smiled at her, holding out a container of Phad Thai as a peace offering. "6?" he asked.

She regarded him, then nodded. "6." She grabbed the container out of his hand, smiling, before he could change his mind.

December 15, 2006

"Katie! Hayley! Agent Booth and Parker will be here soon," Temperance called from the doorway of her bedroom. "Are you two ready?" Over the course of the past few days, Temperance and the girls had gotten really close. In fact, she was beginning to dread the day Russ and Amy came back, because it would mean she wouldn't get to see them on a regular basis.

The girls came out of their bedroom timidly, each smoothing out her own dress. Temperance and Angela had taken them shopping the day before, realizing that the girls had nothing suitable to wear to a function such as this. "How do we look, Tempe?" Katie asked, taking her sister's hand.

Temperance looked the girls over, pretending to be nitpicking. In truth, the girls looked beautiful. Katie's dress was a deep cranberry, made of satin, but overlaid with layers of tulle in the skirt. The cap sleeves, neckline, and hem were trimmed in cream velvet, and she wore a cream-colored, faux-fur jacket and matching muff and hat that were trimmed in the same cranberry satin as the dress.

Hayley's dress was a deep forest green velvet in the bodice, and a light mint green satin skirt and short sleeves. Her neckline was trimmed in the mint satin, and the sleeves and skirt were trimmed with the forest velvet. She wore a dark green wool coat, and light green wool gloves and matching beret.

"You two look wonderful," she commented sincerely. She grabbed her coat – which was really a full-length, fur-lined, dark blue cape – and tied it on. Careful to arrange the hood over her loose curls without crushing them, she headed to the door when she heard Booth's knock.

Booth waited apprehensively with Parker for Temperance to open the door. When she did, the breath was knocked from him. She was absolutely stunning. He stood there so long staring at her that she began to squirm under his gaze. Finally she just couldn't take it anymore.

"What?" she asked, glancing down at her attire. "Is something the matter?"

"No!" he shouted, startling everyone in the room. He softened his voice. "No," he repeated. "You just…you look beautiful." His glance extended beyond her to Katie and Hayley. "You two look very pretty, too," he added, hoping no one could hear his pounding heart. "Are we ready to go?"

Temperance was having her own problems keeping her heart rate under control. The man could _definitely_ wear a tux! It didn't help matters that Parker looked like a miniature version of his father…right down to the exact same tux.

_It's going to be a very long night_, she thought to herself as they headed out to Booth's SUV.

They entered the ballroom that the party was held in and gave their names to the attendants sitting at the table. Their names were checked and crossed off, and a stocking given to each of the children, who were told that Santa might be making an appearance later.

Angela caught sight of the group and waved them over. Katie and Hayley – who were excited to see someone they recognized – ran over, with Parker in hot pursuit. Eyeing the kids to make sure they were alright, Tempe pondered what the attendants had said. "What's the point of telling them that?" she asked, not to anyone in particular, but Booth was standing right next to her and had heard her question.

"Telling who what?" he asked, confused.

"What's the point of telling the kids that Santa will come? He doesn't exist, and-" She was cut off by Booth's harsh whisper.

"You didn't tell the _girls_ that, did you?" he demanded.

"No. It never came up," she defended. "Besides, it's not my place to disillusion them. It's their mother's."

Booth sighed in relief. "Good. Bones, kids believe in Santa because it's something wholesome and pure they can hold on to. Let them have their fantasy; reality will come intruding in soon enough."

"And with that reality, the knowledge that every adult they care about has been lying to them," she pointed out through a forced smile, because the girls were watching them.

"Bones, has it ever occurred to you that Santa does exist?" Booth asked.

"Of course it did. When I was a child, I believed in Santa just like everybody else," she responded, affronted.

"No, I mean _now_," he demanded testily.

"Of course not!" Her gaze softened at his look. "You can't honestly tell me that you believe in Santa Claus, Booth."

Booth shook his head, chuckling slightly. "Not Santa Claus as a person, no. But Santa Claus as an idea, yeah. He's everyone's ideal of goodness and magic and generosity. Don't kill that, Bones. Don't do that to them." He gestured to the girls. "Especially now, when you're all they have."

She regarded him thoughtfully, then turned away. "You're going to have to help me through this, Booth," she pleaded quietly. "I don't know how to be a parent."

Booth grabbed her arms and turned her to face him again. "It's not hard. You already love those little girls, and they love you; I can see it in their eyes. And tomorrow, we are going to get Aunt Angela and Uncle Jack to watch the kids while you and I go shopping.

She eyed him doubtfully. "Shopping for what?" she asked.

"Presents, Bones. You're gonna have those girls through the holidays at least; didn't that occur to you?" At the shake of her head, he continued. "We'll probably need to buy you a tree and decorations, too. Oh, and fixings for dinner."

"Booth, I don't cook!" she protested.

"Don't worry; Parker and I'll be there…we'll spend the night Christmas Eve so the kids can open their presents from Santa together. We can just make it a spur-of-the-moment thing so they don't suspect. I'll make dinner, and you can help, so you aren't completely useless in the kitchen," he grinned.

She wanted to argue. She wanted to scream at him for being so high-handed. But then she glanced over at the girls, talking animatedly with Angela, Hodgins, Cam, Goodman's brother Andrew, and Zack. "OK," she agreed.

Booth smiled. "Great. There's just one more thing I'd like from you," he wheedled.

She rolled her eyes. "What is it?"

He pointed up, grinning mischievously.


	2. Christmas Party

A/N: I was flattered by the nine of you that added this story to your alerts list. And, since so many of you did request alerts, and reviewed and told me I should continue the story, I have decided to comply. I am withdrawing my submission to the CBC and continuing. Enjoy!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Temperance didn't have to look up to know there was a cluster of mistletoe where Booth was pointing. Knowing it was expected of her, she leaned in slightly, indicating her acceptance to Booth. He didn't need any thing more than that; he grabbed her around the waist and laid his mouth on top of hers.

Tempe had fully expected to allow the kiss to go no farther than the perfunctory peck on the lips, but all her intentions flew out the window once the pressure of Booth's lips met hers. She opened her mouth completely, allowing Booth to thrust his tongue inside. Before she knew it, her arms were wrapped around his neck, and his were pulling her waist flush against him.

They remained that way for neither one knew how long, and broke away only when they ran out of oxygen. Neither was aware of anything but the other until a very high-pitched squeal reached their ears. Grinning at each other, they turned to face their friends and laughed when they did. Angela was smiling and clutching Hodgins' lapels, Hodgins was rolling his eyes and shaking his head, Zack was wincing at the noise and glaring at Angela, Cam was smirking and giving the pair a discreet thumbs-up, Katie was giggling and clapping her hands, and Hayley and Parker were covering their eyes.

Booth grabbed Tempe's hand and pulled her toward the table Hodgins and Angela had reserved for their group. He pulled a seat out for Temperance and took her cloak from her, stifling a groan as he saw the back of the dress.

Temperance looked at him over her shoulder and smirked, knowing the direction of his thoughts. He stole a quick kiss from her before taking the coats the kids were handing him and heading off to the coat check. She touched her mouth softly, reveling in the fact that she could still feel him on her lips. Smiling gently, she sat down and glanced at Angela, who had a grin the size of Texas plastered on her face.

Booth came back to the table and sat down, grabbing Tempe's left hand in his right and setting both on his knee. Parker took a sip of the milk Zack had gotten him and looked at Temperance. "Dr. Bren…Dr. Bren…Dr. Bones?" he asked timidly.

Tempe smiled. "Yes, Parker?" she asked gently, trying not to laugh. It wouldn't do to laugh at Booth's son when he was trying so hard to say her name properly.

"Are you gonna be my new mommy?" the boy asked innocently.

Booth choked on the swallow of wine he had just taken. He coughed and sputtered until the urge to cough ceased, then glanced between his son and the woman next to him. Finally he settled his gaze on Temperance and raised his eyebrows. She nodded and squeezed his hand, knowing without words what he was asking. Booth turned back to Parker and replied, "How about we just stick with your daddy's new girlfriend for now, OK, Bub?"

The tyke grinned. "OK, Daddy!" he shouted before leaping off his chair and running around the table to where Temperance was sitting. He raised his arms, waiting for Tempe to pick him up and settle him in her lap. Once she had done so, he wrapped his arms around her neck. Tempe hesitated only a moment before releasing Booth's hand, wrapping both arms around the boy, and laying her cheek against his blond curls. Hugging children was something she was unaccustomed to, but decided that she liked the feeling of trust the boy obviously had for her.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later, after dinner and dessert had been served, the crowd heard a faint jingling sound, followed by a large "bump" and several small "clip-clops" outside. The kids had just enough time to figure out who had arrived before a man dressed in a _very_ convincing Santa suit burst through the doors, carrying a large sack of gifts.

He made his way around the room, handing out gifts to each of the children, and envelopes to each of the adults. When he reached their table, he pulled out a bright red package and handed it to Parker, who was again sitting on Tempe's lap. She glanced down and noticed that it was inscribed to "Master Parker Booth, C/O Dr. Temperance Brennan". Hayley and Katie received their presents as well, both with similar inscriptions. "Santa Claus" then handed each of the adults their envelopes and moved on to the next table.

Booth indicated to Hayley that she was to start the gift-opening. She tore into her package and held up the baby doll and cradle she had received. Katie went next, and was rewarded with the entire sets of Little House on the Prairie books. Parker pulled on his package and revealed the toy gun, handcuffs, FBI shield, and vest he had gotten. Booth glanced at Temperance questioningly, who only shrugged her shoulders and smiled mysteriously.

The adults took their turns then, starting with Zack, who received a certificate for a new suit from the Men's Warehouse. Hodgins received a year-long pass to Conspiracy Archives, a museum for conspiracy theorists. Angela's gift was a full-day treatment at _La Belle Vie_, the most exclusive spa in the area. Cam and Andrew received a joint gift: season tickets to the New York Philharmonic. Booth received season tickets to the Yankees, who would be starting their preseason shortly. And Temperance received a year-long enrollment to the Washington Self-Defense Center, a building that offered weekly martial arts tournaments, a firing range, and weapons instruction.

Booth saw Tempe's gift and winced, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why do you need that, Bones?" he asked, indicating the certificate.

She smirked. "Honestly, I didn't know I was getting this, Booth. And I think 'need' is too strong a term, anyhow. I do have a license to use a weapon, not to mention a black belt in three different forms of Martial Arts. But it's something I enjoy, and I'm sure 'Santa' knows that."

He sighed and raised his hands, admitting defeat. Temperance turned to the girls and asked if they liked their gifts from "Santa".

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So, what was with the kids' presents at the party tonight, Bones? How did 'Santa' just happen to know exactly what each child would want?" Booth asked. They had come back to her apartment for coffee – and cookies and milk for the kids – and Parker had fallen asleep in the girls' room, so Seeley and Temperance were using the time to chat.

Tempe regarded him for a moment, and shrugged. "Wednesday, Goodman came up to me and asked me about the girls," she replied. "He said all the kids were getting presents at the party, and parents had given an idea to the director so he would be able to get something that each child would enjoy. Katie is always reading, and Hayley walks around with a blanket bundled up as if it were a baby, so it wasn't difficult to figure out what they would want."

Booth nodded. "Uh-huh. And Parker?"

Temperance laughed. "I had nothing to do with Parker's gift. I told him I didn't know Parker very well, and he kept asking me. Finally, he asked me a question I could answer. He wanted to know who Parker's hero was."

"And you told him, what? G.I. Joe?"

"Come on, Booth. Even _I_ know that G.I. Joe is in the Army, not in the FBI. Although, I guess, technically, a G.I. Joe doll would have been appropriate for his hero, too."

"So who was it, Bones?" Booth looked honestly confused.

"You can be so dense sometimes, Seeley, honestly. Parker's hero is you. Didn't you know that?"

He shook his head. "No, I didn't. He always tells me that Superman or Batman is his hero. How did you know?"

"Superman and Batman are fictional, Booth. He may only be four, but Parker understands that. He's a smart kid; you should be proud," she smiled.

"I am proud, but you haven't answered my question yet," he responded.

She sighed. "He told me, Seeley."

"When?" Temperance and Parker rarely ever saw each other.

She thought back for a moment, then recalled when it was. "Do you remember when you met Rebecca's boyfriend earlier this year?" she asked.

"Yeah, I remember that." His neck tightened and she grasped his hand to calm him down.

"You and I were at the diner, when Parker came in with Rebecca and Drew. Parker had something to show you from preschool, but you were too busy shouting at Rebecca to notice, and sent him to sit with me at the table. He confided to me that there wasn't anything his daddy couldn't do. He worships you, Seeley. Don't you see it?"

Booth remembered that day. His son had kept calling his name, wanting his attention so he could display his project, but Booth had been too blinded by jealousy over his ex's new romantic interest to pay attention to his son. Brennan had been the one to snap him out of it and remind him that the only important thing was Parker. His thoughts turned to the party when Parker opened his present.

"_Hey, Daddy, look! I get to be in the FBI just like you!"_

_"That's great, Bub."_

But he had been too preoccupied with the weight of Bones' hand on his thigh to notice then, either.

Temperance saw the range of emotions pass over Seeley's face and crawled in his lap. It took a bit of arranging for her to do so comfortably in her dress, but she managed it. She took his face in her hands and turned it until she was looking in his eyes.

"Seeley, I want you to listen to me very carefully. Parker knows you love him, and he knows that you know he loves you. He's a four-year old; they don't doubt the strength of their parents' affection for them, it simply exists. That's all he needs to know. Since you love him, then he must be the most important person in the world to you. That's the way he thinks."

"How do you know that; did he tell you?" Seeley sneered.

She smacked him lightly on the cheek as a warning not to use that tone again, and replied. "No, he didn't tell me. I know that because that's how I thought of my parents when I was his age. Since they loved me, I must have been the most important thing in the world to them. And you know something? It's the truth."

She drew his face closer and kissed him lightly on the lips twice, before climbing out of his lap. "I'd love to continue this conversation, but I have got to get out of this dress _now_," she stated. At his leer, she amended, "and into a pair of _pajamas_."

She headed into her bedroom and changed quickly, brushed her hair and teeth and washed her face, then tiptoed into the spare room closet and pulled something out of a box in there before returning to Booth in the living room. She tossed him what she had taken from the spare room, and he picked it up to investigate.

"My pajama pants?" he asked. "Where did you even get these?"

"You left them here," she replied, smirking.

He thought back, but drew a blank. "I can't remember ever staying here, Bones," he shot back.

"That's because you never actually stayed _here_. You ended up at the hospital, although damned if we could make you stay _there_, either." She looked down, remembering that day.

Booth watched her duck her head, then glanced at the refrigerator, taking his own trip down memory lane.

"I was so scared for you, Booth," she admitted in a tiny voice. "When I heard the explosion and turned around to find you trapped under my refrigerator door, I thought you had died. And a part of me died, too."

Booth didn't even hesitate; he closed the difference between them and hauled her into his arms. "It's OK, Temperance. We're OK," he soothed, rubbing circles over her back.

She swiped at her tears quickly and took a deep breath before standing back. "You better go get changed. There's a spare toothbrush in the medicine cabinet," she said. "I have a small surprise for you."

He nodded and kissed her quickly before heading off to change in her bedroom. When he had finished his evening rituals, he came back out to the living room to find that Temperance had opened her entertainment center. Wondering what CD she had bought that could be a surprise for him, he inched closer until he discovered exactly _what_ the surprise was.

"You bought a TV?" he asked, incredulous.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: Well, there it is, the second chapter. Let me know what you think!


	3. Christmas Preparations

A/N: Thanks again to everyone that reviewed! I really enjoyed them.

Howdylynn: I'm flattered that, out of all the entries in the December challenge, mine was your favorite. Especially considering this is my first "Bones" fic. And I'm glad that you are enjoying my take on the kids.

Rockerbaby423: Grammar is very important to me; it has to be, it was drilled into me for all four years of college! Well, I was an English major, too, so that may have had something to do with it. ;) Also, I'm glad you think I have talent; it adds incentive to get another chapter out and posted, you know?

Wolfy: I appreciate that you enjoyed my story so much. I really had only intended it as a one-shot, but the potential was there to carry it further.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Booth moved behind Temperance, wrapping his arms around her middle, and tucking his fingertips just inside the waistband of her pajama bottoms. "When did you get a television?" he asked. "You're always saying how you don't need a TV to entertain yourself."

She leaned back against his chest and breathed deeply. He smelled of aftershave and soap and mint. She smiled at the combination. "Angela and I stopped at the electronics store after buying the dresses for the girls yesterday. Hayley and Katie had brought a small selection of DVDs with them from home, and were slightly disappointed when they found out they wouldn't be able to watch them. I won't have cable until Monday, but we can watch a movie," she offered.

He laughed. "Sorry, movies that interest little girls probably wouldn't interest me much, Bones."

She elbowed him in the gut lightly. "I bought a few movies, too," she mentioned, turning in his grasp. However, since his fingertips were still under her waistband, the motion caused them to loosen their grip slightly and slide further down. The result was that now Booth had her in a _very_ intimate grasp, and by his grin, was pleased with it, too. He pulled gently on her, so she could discover just _how_ pleased he was becoming with their situation.

Remembering that there were three young children sleeping in just the next room, Temperance pushed slightly on Booth's chest, stepping backward as she did so. However, since Booth still had his arms around her waist, she ended up tripping over his feet and falling backwards, Booth landing on top of her, hard.

He glanced down, brought his hands to cup her face, and leaned in for a kiss when he heard running in the hallway. He looked up just in time to see all three kids standing in the hall, scared looks on their faces.

"Are you OK, Tempe?" Hayley asked, breathing heavily.

"Yeah, we heard a big bump," Katie piped in.

"Dr. Bones, why are you on the ground? And how come my daddy's on top of you?" Parker finished, glancing from Temperance to his father and back again.

Temperance pushed at Booth to get him to climb off of her, then she sat up, her hand immediately going to rub the area of her back that had hit the floor hardest. "I'm fine, Hayley. Let's go get the medicine for your lung; you're breathing heavier than I'd like to see. Katie, I tripped and fell; that was the big bump you heard. Parker, when I fell down, your daddy fell on top of me." She stood up and grabbed Hayley's hand, heading to the guest bathroom for her medicine.

Once she had given Hayley her pill and a glass of water, Temperance led her back out to the living room where Booth had evidently calmed down Katie and Parker long enough to get a movie started.

"Are you alright, Sweetheart?" Booth asked Hayley, picking her up.

The little girl nodded. "Uh-huh. I'm OK; I just needed my med'cine."

The image of Julie Andrews running across a meadow came on the screen, so Booth sat on the sofa, settling Hayley in his lap. Temperance sat on his left, and Parker climbed in her lap. Katie curled up against Booth's right side and laid her head against his shoulder. He grinned at Temperance, who smiled softly back and scooted closer while he flung his arm around her shoulders.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

December 16, 2006

Temperance awoke the next morning with a crick in her neck and a stiff back. She opened her eyes to find the television on a blue screen in front of her, and Parker sprawled out on her lap, his head thrown back against her left shoulder, thumb in his mouth.

She turned her head slightly to the right and found Booth's gaze on her. He indicated for her to keep quiet, nodding towards the kids. Hayley was sleeping sideways on Booth's lap, head cradled in his right arm, feet dangling into Tempe's lap. Katie was stretched out on the other side of Booth, her head pillowed in his lap.

"How long have you been awake?" Temperance whispered, careful not to wake the kids.

Booth glanced at the clock on the DVD player and shrugged. "About ten or fifteen minutes, I'd guess," he replied softly. His left arm, still wrapped around her shoulders, pulled her closer so he could kiss her lightly. "Good morning, by the way," he murmured huskily, stroking her shoulder.

"Mmmm….morning," she replied, leaning in for another kiss. Several minutes later, she pulled away and, careful not to wake him, shifted Parker off her lap and onto the sofa so she could stand and stretch.

She headed into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee while Booth shuffled out from under the girls and headed into the bathroom for a shower and a shave. Once he had dressed in his tux pants and shirt, he re-entered the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee. Temperance came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his middle.

He placed the cup back on the counter and twisted, wrapping his right arm around her waist and kissing her gently twice before reluctantly releasing her in favor of his coffee. She laughingly swatted his behind before drinking the last of her coffee in a single gulp, placing her coffee mug in the sink, and heading to the bedroom for a shower and a change.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So, how about we meet you at the diner for lunch?" Angela asked Temperance later that morning. Tempe and Booth had taken the kids to her apartment after breakfast, so they could get some shopping out of the way. "Jack and I can spend the morning with the kids watching a couple Christmas movies that ABC Family has playing this month, then meet you guys for lunch, then we can head out to do some shopping of our own with the kids."

At Temperance's look, she clarified. "Sweetie, _someone_ has to take these kids shopping for presents for you and Booth. This way, Jack and I can get our Christmas shopping for you, Booth, Zack, and Cam out of the way, too. It also gives you and Booth _all day_ alone together, to shop and, well, you know – whatever," she smirked.

Temperance thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "That's logical," she responded.

"Great! So we'll see you guys about 12?" At Booth's nod, Angela shooed them out the door.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"OK, so we have Parker and Hayley taken care of, right?" Booth asked four hours later.

Temperance shook her head. "We have all their _little_ presents taken care of, Booth; we still need to find their big presents. And we have Katie's big present, but still need to find her little presents."

"OK, we can do all that after lunch. What else?" he replied, juggling the bags so he could pull the keys out of his pocket and open the back to the SUV.

"We both have Cam's presents taken care of; I have something for Angela, but you still have to find something for her; you have something for Hodgins, but I still need to find something for him; and we _both_ still need to find gifts for Zack," she rattled off, moving to place the bags in her arms in the back of the vehicle.

Booth grabbed her arm. "Bones, I realize you aren't used to the whole holiday ritual thing, but doesn't it occur to you that gifts should be kept a _surprise_ for Christmas morning?"

She rolled her eyes. "Well, then, where do you propose I put these bags?" she retorted huffily.

He grinned and pulled up a panel, revealing a hidden storage compartment, mainly used for storing his Kevlar vests in. She shook her head in amusement and placed her bags in the compartment before making her way to the passenger side of the car.

"OK, so we can find things for the rest of the Squint Squad when we finish shopping for the kids. Anything else?" Booth followed Tempe to the door, reaching around her to open it for her, staring at her pointedly as if daring her to say something about his "alpha-male tendencies". She felt a rumble in her chest and realized that she was actually _chuckling_ at this absurd scenario.

She sighed. "Booth, you're the expert on Christmas, not me. You tell _me_ what we're missing."

"You're the one with the eidetic memory, though, Bones. You remember things like I can't believe. It's one of your squintiest qualities, though strangely enough, it's something I've always admired about you." He shut the door behind her and ran around the SUV, climbing into the driver's seat.

"Squintiest? What kind of a word is that?" she asked, laughing.

"Just tell me what else we have left on our 'to-do' list, Bones," he argued.

"We still don't have a tree or decorations yet," she spouted off, "and I seem to recall you mentioned something about my cooking skills last night, as well."

"Apparently I was mistaken when I said you had an eidetic memory. Don't go laying that at my door, Ms. 'Booth, I don't cook!'; that was entirely your line," he pointed out.

She gave him a half-grin. "I guess," was all she'd admit. They spent most of the rest of the ride to the diner in silence. Booth was thinking about how much he wanted all this: Temperance, kids, arguments over Christmas presents. He wanted it all; he just didn't think it would happen, with Brennan's views on marriage and children. And then there was the _tiny_ little problem that he was Catholic and she an agnostic.

Temperance was lost in her own silent musings. She _didn't_ want kids – at least, she didn't think she did. The last week with Katie and Hayley – and the last couple days with Parker – had made her rethink her position on the subject. Booth was right the day before when he said she loved the girls; she'd lay her life on the line for them. And Parker was such an adorable kid, entirely too much like his father.

Her thoughts turned to Booth then, and she glanced sideways at him. Where did Booth fit in to this picture? Booth was a traditionalist: church, wife, 2.5 kids, house in the suburbs. That was all his style, but not hers. Could they really make a go of their relationship? Then, like an epiphany, it came to her.

_They already were making a go of their relationship_.

The night before, they had gone out to a party as a family. Then later, they had sat down and watched a movie as a family, even going so far as to fall asleep in front of the television. Which was another concession to her growing domesticity; she had never had a television before. She and Booth had made breakfast for the kids this morning as a couple would.

Even the children and religion subjects were sorting themselves out, she admitted wryly. A couple months before, she had asked Booth to take her to church. He finally had done so after she had been buried alive for 12 hours with Hodgins. She wanted to go with him to a service, but didn't think it would be appropriate while she still had custody of Hayley and Katie. Speaking of whom, she had to admit to herself that she was enjoying the responsibility of taking care of them much more than she would have thought.

_Maybe this can work, after all_, she thought to herself.

She was brought out of her thoughts by the shrill ringing of Booth's phone. He threw her an apologetic glance and flipped open the cell.

"Booth," he said into the receiver. "Sure, OK. Yeah, no problem. Take your time. OK, bye." He glanced back over at Temperance, who had her eyebrows raised in silent query. "Rebecca's grandmother came out of the coma yesterday, only to go back into it today. She needs to stay there for a few weeks to help out her mother, and wanted to know if I'd be OK with Parker for that long," he explained.

"And will you?" she grinned as she exited the vehicle at the diner.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"OK, so all we have left is grocery shopping; is that right?" Booth asked as he strapped their 8-foot Blue Spruce to the top of his SUV. They had finished their Christmas shopping after lunch, then had picked up decorations and wrapping paper at the department store.

"Yes, but since Christmas is not for another nine days, I think we can hold off shopping for dinner for awhile," Tempe responded, strapping herself into the vehicle. She let out a low groan. "Ugh, I'm _exhausted_. Can we just pick something up for dinner instead of cooking tonight?"

"Wong Foo's?" he asked sympathetically, reaching over to rub her neck. "Boy, are you tense, Bones. Remind me to give you a full-body later on tonight," he winked.

She let the comment slide for the time being and focused on dinner. "No Wong Foo's. We just had Thai the other night. What about the new Italian place off of Washington Blvd.?"

"Italian it is. And we can stop at my place on the way, to pick up clothes for me and Parker for the week," he responded.

"When did we decide that you and Parker were staying at my apartment?" she asked suspiciously.

"When you threw my pajama pants at me last night," he retorted good-naturedly, giving her his patented mega-watt charm smile.

She smiled back mischievously and reached over, laying her hand on his thigh. Since he was driving, there wasn't much he could do about it except groan, so she started stroking.

"Bones, you're gonna be the death of me some day," he ground out, fighting the urge to stop the car and pull her into the backseat.

"Oh, but what a way to die," she murmured huskily.

"Seriously, Bones. Unless you want to be arrested for indecent exposure on a public highway, you may want to stop now. We can finish after the kids go to bed," he suggested.

"Promise?" she smiled seductively.

He glanced over at her to judge whether or not she was serious. Since it appeared she wasn't kidding, he brought out the charm smile again. "Oh, I definitely promise, Bones."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: OK, folks, chapter three is up! Let me know what you think!


	4. New Case

Angel6 aka trinigyal: I'm glad you're enjoying it so much. Some personal time with just the two of them was just what they needed in that chapter.

Jaed621: I'm happy to say: since Bones is so easy to write for, it's remarkably easy to get chapters out in quick succession. I agree; the Christmas season is just a wonderful time of year for Brennan to find her "normal" side.

Rockerbaby423: I love your reviews! They always give me this feeling of "aww, how sweet". I always pictured Booth as the type of guy that would want to get married and settle down; just the fact that he offered to marry Rebecca when he found out about Parker indicates that. However, I can see how he would change his views for Brennan, just as I can see her changing her views for him. Maybe we can get them to compromise somewhere in the middle?

Howdylynn: I love that you totally get all the little touches that make a sensual relationship work (ie, hand on his thigh, stroking his leg, etc.) Yeah, I don't see Booth as a musical fan, either, but with the kids, I figured it would be good for them to watch something family-friendly.

Jessabelle87: I agree; it does detract from the story if you have to pick your way through bad grammar and spelling. Unless, of course, the bad grammar and spelling is _part_ of the story, such as a child's lisp, or a cultural accent, or whatever. I'm glad that you find the story so enjoyable, though.

WinchesterWench: I know I'd love to have Booth under my tree.:-P

Snow1685: Yeah, Booth and Parker at Brennan's for Christmas…wonder what will happen?

Cora Clavia: They do act like an old married couple. I think they already do on the show, so I just incorporated that into my story.

Ariz33: I get the vibe from the show that she'd be good with kids, too. She was in that one episode where Booth found out about Drew and sent Parker to sit with Brennan for a few minutes, and she was totally into his school project. She seems like the kind of person that would do things automatically, then analyze what she's doing and why.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Dr. Bones, can we watch another movie tonight?" Parker asked after they had finished their dinner. Jack and Angela were there, too; having dropped the kids off an hour before, Temperance and Seeley had invited them to join their dinner.

Temperance's eyes shot up to Booth's, who shook his head emphatically. Grinning mischievously, she replied, "I think we need to go to bed early tonight, Bub. Remember, tomorrow's Sunday, and your daddy and you have church."

"But where will Daddy sleep?" the little boy persisted.

"In my bed with me. Though, I don't know how much sleep he'll get there." Booth snorted into his beer at that statement and shot Temperance an incredulous look. Angela and Jack looked at each other, grinned, and deliberately pushed their plates away before turning their full attention to the scene playing out before them.

"Why not?" Parker continued. Temperance looked to Booth for help, but he just shrugged, shook his head again, and rose to take his plate to the sink.

"Because your daddy is really…tall," Temperance finished lamely. Booth dropped his plate, which shattered in the sink; Angela stifled her snort with her hand cupped over her mouth; and Jack had his hand over his eyes while he was gently shaking, chuckling silently.

"I think we need to go," he finally said, after he had calmed himself down sufficiently. He pulled Angela out of her seat, grabbed their coats, and headed for the door. Temperance walked with them.

"See you on Monday, Sweetie," Angela said, hugging Temperance before whispering in her ear, "and I want _details_."

"OK, baths for little children," Temperance announced after she had closed the door behind her friends. "And Parker, our rule here is youngest goes first, so into the tub you go."

"Will you read us a story, Dr. Bones?" Parker asked in the bathroom as he stripped down and stepped in the tub. "Before we go to sleep, I mean?"

Temperance hesitated for a moment. She didn't know much about bedtime stories. _How hard can it be, though, honestly?_ she theorized. _You pick out a book and read it to them_. "Of course I will, Parker. Maybe we can start reading Katie's new books that she got at the party last night; would you like that?"

"Yeah! I saw the pictures of the wagons on the front. Are there wagons in the story?" Parker asked.

"Yes, there are wagons, and a mommy and a daddy and three little girls," she answered.

"Like you and my daddy and Katie and Hayley and me," the boy rationalized. "Except I'm not a girl, I'm a boy."

Temperance smiled at the analogy. "You're right, Parker; the story is like us," she agreed after much deliberation.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I can't believe you told my son that," Booth laughed later in her bedroom, after the kids had gone to sleep. "I'm _tall_? I about died from embarrassment!" He pulled off his jeans and threw them in the hamper.

"I don't think he got the joke, Booth," she remarked wryly. "And who knows? I could be wrong; for all I know, you could be 'short'!"

He mock-glared at her. "Oh, you'll pay for that, Bones!" He grabbed both legs behind her knees and pulled, toppling her backwards onto the bed. Climbing on top of her, he ground his hips into hers and whispered, "Do I _feel_ 'short' to you?"

"Mmmm…I think this needs some further examination to reach a logical, _accurate_ conjecture on the subject," she murmured huskily, wrapping her legs around his waist.

"I'm sure this is one investigation we'll both enjoy the outcome of," he responded before crushing his lips against hers, silencing them both.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Oh God, Bones. That was incredible," Booth panted, lying beside her with his arm thrown across his eyes.

She grinned, drawing circles around his chest with her fingertip. "You weren't so bad yourself, Booth. In fact, I think 'Bones' might be a better nickname for you than for me; maybe I'll start calling you that," she whispered, dipping her hand down lower.

He shot her one of his best charm smiles. "I aim to please, ma'am. And if you _dare_ call me 'Bones' ever, I'll-"

"So what, now I'm not allowed to give you a nickname? You gave me one – against my will, I might add!" she huffed, pulling herself away.

"Don't be ridiculous, Bones. Of course you can give me a nickname, if you want to. Just not one that has _any sort_ of connotation to physical prowess. And you can't honestly think I have ever thought of 'Bones' as anything other than a term of endearment for you."

She looked surprised. "A term of endearment? Even when we couldn't stand one another?"

"You were my partner from the very beginning, Bones. I always had this thing for smart women: the smarter, the sexier in my book. And you are by _far_ the smartest person I have ever met."

Temperance lay down with her head on his shoulder and threw her arm around his middle. "So I'm 'smart', huh?" she grinned. "This could be a good thing."

Booth held her tightly against his side. "Bones, that's a _very_ good thing."

- - - - - - - - - - -

December 17, 2006

"OK girls, what do you want to do today?" Tempe asked the next morning after breakfast had been cleaned up and Booth and Parker had left for Mass.

"Can we go see Santa today, Tempe? Mommy usually takes us just before Christmas," Katie requested.

Temperance thought about it for a moment, but couldn't really see the harm in taking them to see the figure and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Besides, the photo would make a great souvenir for Russ and Amy when they got back. "Sure," she answered finally, "but why don't we do that after lunch, so Agent Booth and Parker can go with us, OK?"

"OK!" Katie agreed.

"Can you take us to get presents for Miss Angie and Dr. Jack?" Hayley requested. "They were really nice to us yesterday. Miss Angie drew our pictures, and Dr. Jack showed us his bug collection!"

"How nice," Temperance remarked. "Yeah, we can get them presents. Do you guys know what you want to get them?"

"Uh-huh. I wanna get Miss Angie an art set!" Hayley announced. "She showed us the one she has, and it's almost all gone. And I wanna get Dr. Jack the 'puter disc he showed us yesterday."

"Computer disc? What computer disc?" Temperance asked, confused.

"We were at a store, and he saw this computer datin'…datin'…" Katie began.

"Database?" Temperance supplied, stifling her laugh.

"Uh-huh. Datin'base, that was all about bugs and dirt and slimy things. He was really 'cited 'bout it. He said he had to remember to get it later."

"Hayley, I think those are wonderful gifts for Angela and Dr. Hodgins. They'll love them. Katie, what would you like to get them?" Tempe asked.

"Hmmm…I want to get Dr. Jack some CDs he said he wanted but couldn't find. Can you help me find them for him, Tempe?" the little girl pleaded.

"I can try. If we can't find it today, maybe we can get Agent Booth to help. He's usually the person to go to to find something that can't always be found," she replied.

"Is that cuz he's with the BFI?" Hayley asked.

"The FBI? Yeah, I guess that helps him," Temperance agreed. "Katie, what about Angela?"

"When we were going by the park after lunch, we saw people ice skating. Miss Angie said she didn't know how to ice skate, but wanted to learn. Do you think she would like a pair of ice skates so she can learn and go skating with us sometime, Tempe?"

"I think she would love that. Why don't we throw in a few lessons for her, too? I know a great teacher," she suggested.

Katie's eyes lit up. "Yeah!"

"OK, then, let's go. Get your coats!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Brennan," Temperance said into her phone as she and the girls left the third store they had been in.

"Dr. Brennan," came a familiar voice on the other end of the line. "This is FBI Deputy Director Cullen. Is Agent Booth with you? He is not answering his phone."

"Yeah, I don't think he has it on, Director Cullen; he's at church with his son," she replied, ushering the girls into the music store, so they could make some inquiries into Jack's CDs. "Is there a problem?"

"The two of you have a case. How soon can you get to your lab?"

"Uh, probably not for another hour at least. What's the case?" she motioned for Katie to explain what she wanted to the saleslady, while she stepped to the side to finish her conversation.

Cullen sighed. "Three bodies were found in a car at the side of the highway on the Delaware/New Jersey border. The car had been combusted remotely; the bodies burned beyond recognition. Ordinarily, we would want you to examine the remains at the scene, but we realize you have your brother's kids with you and that's not feasible at this time, so we've had them shipped to your lab. They should be there within the next half hour."

The saleslady, who had gone into the back to check their stock, came back out and showed a boxed set to Temperance, who raised her eyebrows at Katie. The little girl nodded, so Tempe pulled out her credit card and handed it to the woman. "OK, I've got the girls now. We're going to finish up one more errand, then we'll head straight to the Jeffersonian."

"Wonderful. If you can get a hold of Agent Booth, we would greatly appreciate that, as well."

"I'll call and leave a message for him. That's the best I can do at the moment."

She hung up and took her credit card back from the saleslady, signed the slip, and handed the bag to Katie, who grabbed her hand. Hayley grabbed her other hand, and they walked out the door and down the street, to the sporting goods store for Angela's ice skates. Temperance put in a call to her friend, who said she would be happy to provide lessons to the artist.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Subject 1 is female, Caucasian, approximately 25-30 years old," Temperance said into her recorder once she had gotten back to the lab. "Subject 2 is male, Caucasian, approximately 30-35 years old. Subject 3 is male, Caucasian, approximately 60-65 years old."

"Hi sweetie, we came as soon as we got your call," Angela announced as she and Jack came into the lab. "Where are Booth and the kids?" she added, looking around.

Brennan, bent over the exam table, pulled something out of the female's hand and placed it in a petrie dish, handing it off to Hodgins for him to identify and answered in a slow monotone, "Booth and Parker, I assume, are still at church. I left Hayley and Katie with one of the tour guides, so she could show them around the Museum while I'm back here."

"Do you want me to do facial reconstruction?" the artist asked patiently.

"Yes. Start with the female; she has the least amount of damage. The males appear to have sustained major blunt force trauma before succumbing to gunshots to their left porietals," she indicated the injuries in question.

"So, in other words, they weren't just burned to death in their car? Oh, wonderful."

"Hey, Bones, what have we got?" Booth asked as he came sauntering in, swiping his badge so he could enter the examination platform.

"Where's Parker?" Temperance asked, ignoring his question for the time being.

"Why Bren, did you just ask a domestic question? My little Forensic Anthropologist is all grown up and leaving the nest," Angela sniffed dramatically. At Tempe's look, she threw her arms up and sighed, "OK, OK, I'm going, geez," as she picked up the female's skull and head to the Angelator for a reconstruction.

Temperance and Seeley rolled their eyes at each other. "Parker and I noticed the girls going on a tour of the museum, so I left him with them. Katie's got a hold of his hand, and I told her not to let go. I also told the tour guide to stretch it out until either you or I came to get the kids."

"Smart thinking." The two glanced up at each other, slow smiles spreading across their faces, as they recalled the night before. Temperance shook her head to clear her thoughts and explained the case to date.

After she had gone over the few details they actually had, Seeley sighed and swiped a hand through his head, glancing around. He noticed a cardboard box on a nearby table and headed toward it. "What's this?"

She glanced up from the bone she was examining. "Personal effects found in the car. We haven't had the time to look through it yet. Help yourself," she replied.

He did so, and swore at what he found. "What is it?" Temperance asked. Booth held up a child's tennis shoe, then another one, slightly larger. "Two kids," she mumbled as he nodded soberly.

"So we look for an estranged spouse to find the two kids?" Temperance asked skeptically.

Booth shook his head. "The husband's probably here." He motioned to the middle table.

She sighed in frustration. "Booth, you know how much I hate jumping to conclusions," she snapped.

"It's a logical conclusion, Bones!" he defended.

"Based on pure conjecture, Booth!" she retorted. She stormed past him, heading for Angela's office to see how she was doing on the facial reconstruction. Booth sighed and followed her.

They entered the office, and Temperance stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the 3-D image Angela had created from the female's skull. "Oh God, no," she murmured.

The face belonged to Amy Smithson.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: Dum-da-dum-dum! Tell me what you think!


	5. Bad News

Melissouza: I love stories (and episodes, though they are few and far between) with Parker in them, too. I think he could be a great character on the show, if they'd bring him on more. I'm glad you like the premise of my story, too; I thought it would be a unique take on her getting a glimpse of "what she's missing" by not having kids.

Jessabelle87: You know, I did not plan that chapter to go at all like it did. In fact, I didn't even realize I had killed off Amy until I had finished writing and was proofreading the chapter! Talk about artistic license.

BonesDBchippie: I just got all three of your last reviews together! I gotta say, I loved every word of all of them. My idea of Tempe's views on a 4-year olds love comes from watching my niece interact with her parents: totally trusting, never once doubting their love for her. With regard to the list of presents already gotten and the ones still to get: yeah, that was exhausting just typing! It's completely how I would picture a scene like that would play out between the two, though. I was writing chapter four at work, and was chuckling as I proofread those scenes you mentioned; my coworkers thought I was nuts, until they read what I had written. I made the scene like that because, again with the niece, little kids are always asking "why" and "what for", and Parker, to my mind, is the same way.

Rockerbaby423: I had that scene in the SUV in my mind when I wrote the bath scene with Parker; I thought it would be cute to make Parker say something so totally like his dad. I threw myself for a small loop in the last scene…_totally_ not how I had wanted it to go! But, my story prevailed, and the scene stayed in. What can you do? shrugs

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Oh God, how am I going to tell them?" Temperance mumbled to herself. She was vaguely aware of Booth's arms coming around her, pulling her face into his shoulder. She felt the first tear slip out, followed by another and another, until she lost count and just sobbed into the crook of Booth's neck.

Booth pulled her tighter, eyes never leaving the image in the panel. He noticed Cam, Zack, and Jack enter the office, and saw Angela's frightened and confused look.

"Booth, what's going? Why is Brennan crying?" Angela asked, compassion for her friend lacing her voice.

Booth swallowed hard before replying, "That's Amy Smithson, Katie and Hayley's mother. I recognize her from a picture on the bedside table in their bedroom in Bones' apartment. And unless I miss my guess," he gestured to the exam tables on the platform out the door, "that's also Max and Russ."

Cam came up and sympathetically placed a hand on Tempe's shoulder. "Dr. Brennan, maybe you should let Seeley drive you home. I don't think you should be here today."

Temperance looked up and shook her head, swiping at her tears with one hand. "No, I have to be here; I have to find out-"

"Temperance," Booth said quietly. The use of her given name got her attention and she looked up at him. "Let's go get the kids; we'll go home and we'll tell them together. Those little girls need you now; you have to be there for them. You've been in their shoes; you know what they'll be going through."

She took a shaky breath and slumped, nodding. "You're right. I _do_ know what they'll go through, which is precisely why I don't want to tell them. How can I do that to them? They're just little kids, and now I have to tell them that not only have they lost their biological father, they've also lost their mother and the man who loved them as if they were his own."

"You're forgetting that _you've_ lost Russ now, too. _And_ your father, who you had only regained after 15 years of separation." Booth grabbed her hand, tugging her toward the door. "We're all Katie and Hayley have left, you know. They're _ours_ now, yours and mine. I'm not going anywhere, Temperance; I'm going to be right beside you every step of the way. But we _have_ to tell them. And it should be today, so we can get it out in the open and the healing can start.

She squeezed his hand and nodded, offering a watery smile. "OK. Let's go," she replied.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Julie Cross looked up from the display she was pointing out and noticed Temperance and Seeley headed toward her. "Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth," she said with a smile, "I wasn't aware your investigation would finish so quickly. I hope everything is alright?"

"We identified the remains faster than I had anticipated," Temperance responded mechanically. She turned toward the kids, who were scrutinizing her face. "Are you guys ready to go home?" she asked, more brightly than she felt.

Parker came up to her and raised his hands. She automatically bent down to pick him up, settling him on her hip before reaching for Katie's hand. Booth picked up Hayley, settled her on his hip, and grabbed Katie's remaining hand as they headed out the front door of the Jeffersonian.

A woman, carrying a bundle of single-wrapped roses, came up to the group. "You have a beautiful family, sir," she said, pulling out one of her roses and holding it out to him. "A rose for your lovely wife, perhaps?"

Booth smiled and released Katie's hand to reach in his wallet and pull out a couple of bills. He handed them to the woman and accepted the rose from her, presenting it to Temperance as the woman wandered off to find her next customer.

Tempe looked at the cellophane-wrapped flower then looked at Booth's charming smile and sighed, taking the flower and leaning in for a kiss. "Thank you. For everything," she murmured before kissing him once more and pulling the kids toward the parking garage.

"We'll take my car, Bones. I'll bring you back tomorrow so you can pick up yours," Booth warned. Temperance, too tired to argue at the moment, merely nodded and followed him to the SUV. She strapped Parker into his booster seat before helping Katie into the car and heading to the front passenger door.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Girls, I have something important I need to tell you," Temperance announced, once they had entered the apartment and hung up their coats. Katie and Hayley turned around and regarded Temperance thoughtfully. "Let's go sit in the living room so we can talk, OK?"

The girls nodded and headed in to sit on the couch. Booth indicated that he wanted Parker to follow them, then pulled Temperance aside to speak to her for a moment. "Are you sure you're up to this?" he whispered.

She shook her head. "No, I don't. But you were right earlier; they need to know so they can move on." She moved to head to the living room, but Booth held her arm.

"Wait! Did I just hear you say – for the second time today – that I'm right?" His smile began to spread across his face as she rolled her eyes. "So this is what that feels like."

She rolled her eyes. "What?" she asked irritably.

"The knowledge that _I_ was the one to get the great Dr. Temperance Brennan to admit she was wrong about something."

She shook her head. "Don't let it go to your head. Sheesh! The last thing I had intended to do today was stroke that already-enormous ego of yours."

"Oh, you've already done that _several_ times over the last few days," he winked conspiratorially, wrapping his arm around her waist, and heading to the sofa with her. They seated themselves on the coffee table, so they could face the kids when they broke their news.

Temperance opened her mouth to say something, then closed it when she thought better of what she had been going to say. Finally, she decided on taking the scenic route to get there. "Do you guys know what I do at the Jeffersonian?" she asked looking into the faces of each of the three children in front of her.

Katie nodded. "Kind of. Russ said it had something to do with bones…that you can find out who they were and how they died and stuff."

"That's right, Katie," Temperance affirmed, nodding with her eyes closed. She opened her eyes again to stare into the curious faces and continued. "I can tell, just by looking at bones, how old that person was; where they came from; if they were a man or a woman. I can tell how they died; if it's a woman I'm looking at, I can tell if she'd had children and how long before she'd died she had had them."

"Is that what you were doing today, Tempe?" Hayley asked. "Were you looking at bones?"

"Yes, she was, Sweetheart," Booth cut in. "The FBI found some people in a car that needed to have names. So they asked Temperance to tell them who these people were."

"Did you find out, Dr. Tempe-Bones?" Parker asked inquisitively.

Temperance gave a half-laugh at the little boy's new name for her and nodded. "Yes, Parker, I found out. That's why I needed to talk to you guys."

Booth tightened his grasp around her waist and took over the explanation, so Temperance could have a chance to control her emotions. "Two of the people were Russ and Max, girls," he announced sympathetically. Their eyes went round, bright with unshed tears.

Parker's little mind was turning a mile a minute. He had heard his daddy talking about Dr. Tempe-Bones' daddy and brother, Max and Russ, a few days before. Could these be the same guys? But weren't they with Hayley and Katie's mommy? Unless…

"Who was the third person, Daddy?" he asked sadly, looking at his new friends.

Booth and Temperance glanced at each other then back at the girls, whose reactions broke their hearts. Katie stood up and yelled, "No!" with her tears streaming down her face. "No!" she insisted again, stamping her foot before running to her bedroom and slamming the door.

Hayley, who had become quite close to Seeley over the last few days, climbed into his lap and sobbed her little eyes out into the front of his shirt. "Mommy!" the little girl wailed. "Mommy, no!" Booth wrapped his arms around her and rocked her, murmuring unintelligibly into her hair. He stood up and made his way to the rocking chair so he would be more comfortable holding the little girl.

Temperance – tears streaking down her face again – glanced at Parker, who had his knees pulled up to his chin with his thumb in his mouth, crying for what his two friends had lost. She turned to sit next to him and pulled him into her lap. Like Seeley and Hayley, Temperance and Parker had formed a special bond over the last few days and she sat there, quietly cooing to the tyke, as he sobbed into her shoulder.

Eventually, the sobbing ceased, and she glanced down to realize he had cried himself to sleep. Her gaze turned to Seeley and Hayley, who were still mumbling to one another, so she turned and laid the little boy down on the sofa so she could go in search of Katie.

She knocked on the door lightly twice before slowly opening it. "Katie?" she called, peeking her head in. There, on the bed, face turned into the pillow, was Katie. She was so quiet that Temperance would have assumed she was asleep, had her entire body not been shaking with the sobs wrenched out of her.

Tempe entered the room, closing the door softly behind her before making her way toward the bed. She sat down gingerly next to Katie, softly stroking her hair until she calmed down. Several minutes later, Katie sat up and launched herself into Temperance's arms.

"You're wrong!" she insisted. "You're wrong!" She was taken by another bout of sobs, so turned her face into Tempe's neck to stifle the sound.

Temperance closed her eyes, wishing she could make this day just disappear. _What's the use of wishing_? she asked herself bitterly. _It won't change the fact that these girls' mother will never see the wonderful women they'll become. It won't change the fact that my father promised to take care of her and broke that promise._

The last thought startled her out of her reverie. That's what really scared her: that Katie and Hayley would blame her for her father's failure to bring their mother home to them. Then Katie asked something that broke her heart even more.

"When will you send us away?"

"What?" Temperance was honestly confused. "I won't send you away; why would you ask such a question?"

"Russ said you don't want kids. When will you send me and Hayley to the orphanage?" the child persisted.

Temperance shook her head, anger with her brother taking hold before she realized he wasn't there to chew out anymore. "Russ was wrong, baby. So was I; before you and Hayley came to stay with me, you're right, I _didn't_ want kids. But you girls have been so great that it made me realize what I'd been missing. I'd love to keep you. If you want to stay here, I'm more than happy to have you. Agent Booth wants you, too; he told me this morning when we found out it was your mom. But the choice is up to you."

"Really?" Katie cast a hopeful glance at Tempe, then one at the door. "You guys really want us? And Parker, too?"

Temperance smiled at the enthusiasm. "Yes," she said quietly. "And Parker too."

Tempe and Katie chatted for awhile more, Temperance answering as many of the girl's questions as she thought she could handle. Eventually, the two headed out to the living room – with a quick detour to the bathroom for one of Hayley's lung pills and a glass of water – where they saw Booth still murmuring to a now-sleeping Hayley.

Temperance turned to Katie. "What do you say we let Hayley and Parker sleep for a little bit while you and I make lunch, OK?" she whispered. It was only noon, though it seemed so much later.

The girl nodded enthusiastically, and they turned to the kitchen together, smiling at Booth on the way, as Temperance stopped to hand him the water and the pill, so he could give them to her when she woke up. He grabbed her arm and tugged, pulling her down for a long, slow kiss, before reluctantly releasing her with one of his biggest charm smiles.

"It'll be OK," he mouthed encouragingly. She smiled and nodded before joining Katie in the kitchen.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Tempe, can we still go see Santa today?" Hayley asked as they gathered around the table to eat the soup-and-sandwich lunch Katie and Temperance had made.

Temperance eyed her speculatively. "Are you sure you want to, Hayley?"

The little girl nodded. "I wanna ask Santa to watch over my mommy and my daddy Russ," she explained.

"It's not Santa that does that, Hayley; it's God," Katie announced, rolling her eyes. "_Everybody_ knows that."

"Not everybody, Katie," Booth corrected gently. "And if your sister wants to ask Santa to look after your mother, then there isn't anything wrong with that. Is there, Bones?"

Brennan looked slightly uncomfortable at the turn the conversation had taken around her kitchen table. She noticed Booth's stern look and replied nonchalantly, "No, there isn't anything wrong with that, Booth. If you guys still want to see Santa, we can do that right after lunch," she promised.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Can we decorate the Christmas tree tonight, Daddy?" Parker asked later, as the group entered the apartment after their trip to see Santa.

Booth shook his head. "I dunno, Bub. We might have to wait on the tree for a few days, until everyone's a little happier," he explained.

"No, please can we, Agent Booth?" Katie pleaded. "We feel better now. I talked to God about Mommy, and Hayley talked to Santa. We wish she could be with us for Christmas, but we're happy that she's gonna be watched by them, now that she can't. And we're really happy we're here with you guys, even if Mommy and Daddy Russ won't come back."

"Really?" Temperance asked, dumbfounded. "The fact that you 'spoke' to God and Santa about your mother makes you feel better about it?"

Hayley nodded. "Santa said he'd try to get to Heaven in his sleigh to tell Mommy that I miss her, but I'm glad she's in Heaven and not hurting no more."

"Daddy Russ says you don't believe in God, Tempe; is that true?" Katie asked, cocking her head to one side to regard the scientist.

Temperance glanced at Booth, who shrugged and picked up Parker, heading to the balcony, where they had temporarily stashed the tree after bringing it upstairs the day before. Glaring at his retreating back for deserting her, she turned back to the girls. "Yes, that's true, Katie," she admitted thoughtfully, trying to explain the situation so a child would understand it.

"I respect that you and your sister and Agent Booth and Parker all believe in God and want to talk to him, but I like to be able to talk to someone that can talk back. Does that make sense?"

The girls nodded, but Hayley piped up, "But Mommy says that even though God doesn't talk with a reg'lar voice like us, he has a little voice that is inside every person, and that's the voice he uses to talk to us."

Katie nodded at her sister's answer. "Yeah. She calls it the…the…what was it? Oh, yeah! The still, small voice inside of us."

"Hmmm…I see. Girls, did you go to church with your mommy?" she asked thoughtfully.

The girls shook their heads. "Not always. Mommy had to work a lot, and so did Daddy Russ."

"When you did go to church, what kind did you go to?" Temperance pressed.

Hayley lit up. "It was really neat! It was really big, with a lot of towers and spikes on the outside, and a bunch of colorful windows and statues of Jesus on the cross and Mary inside," she described. "And we used to kneel a lot, and make the sign of the cross in front of us, like this." She demonstrated, and Temperance got an idea.

"It sounds like you went to a Cathedral; a Catholic church," she tested, seeing if they recognized the word. She heard the boys come in, hauling the tree behind them, but kept her attention focused on Katie and Hayley.

Katie nodded. "Yeah, that's what my mommy called it," she affirmed.

"Did you girls know that Agent Booth and Parker are Catholic?" she asked, glancing at the pair as they struggled to fit the tree into the tree stand.

"Bones, you wanna come help me with this?" Booth suggested, indicating the tree. "This thing isn't exactly small, and it isn't exactly light, either."

She grinned. "One second," she replied, before holding both hands out to the girls as they took them.

"How would you girls like to go to church with Agent Booth and Parker the next time they go?" she asked as she released their hands to hold the tree while Booth crouched under it to work it into the stand.

"What are you girls talking about?" he asked irritably, tightening one of the screws.

"Booth, the girls are Catholic. I was just asking them if they wanted to go with you the next time you went to Mass," she supplied.

"Will you go with us, Tempe?" Hayley pleaded.

"Oh, Hayley. I'm not Catholic, and since I don't believe in God, I don't think I should be going places where everyone else does. I might offend somebody," she whispered conspiratorially.

Booth snorted. "Since when does that stop you from doing anything?" he retorted.

She nudged his side with her foot, causing him to lose the precarious balance he had and slip head first into the bottom branches. Temperance covered her mouth with her free hand, muffling the giggle that tried to escape, but the kids had no such qualms. They all held their middles and pointed to the fallen agent, giggling helplessly.

Booth looked into Tempe's mirth-filled eyes and finished tightening the last screw in the tree stand. "That's it," he muttered before springing out from under the tree and grabbing Temperance around the waist, tickling her sides mercilessly.

"No! Stop, Seeley, stop!" Tempe laughed, squirming out of grasp. He held her tight, though, and continued tickling her until he felt three pairs of arms wrap around his and Tempe's legs, causing the entire group to topple to the floor, laughing uncontrollably.

Once the giggling had subsided, Temperance glanced around her. She was on the floor of her apartment with Booth's arm wrapped around her. She had a hold of Parker in one arm and Katie in the other, and Booth had a hold of Hayley in his free arm. Booth smiled at her, kissing her quickly before standing up.

"Come on, guys. Decorations…let's get to it!" She smiled to herself, rose, and went to find the bags with the Christmas decorations in them so they could decorate their tree.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: Well, there it is. Not much action in this chapter, but a lot of sadness and a little bit of fluffiness. Hope you enjoy!


	6. Answers

xSweetSerenityx: Do you know how long it took me to actually come up with the idea to bring in Russ's kids? Probably about a day and a half. I was trying to decide the premise for a story, then was re-watching the episode where Russ was showing Temperance the pictures of Amy's kids, and inspiration struck. And you can gush all you want; I _love_ reading it!

MelisMLC: I'm sure I should say that I'm sorry that my story made you cry, but I know that it's a compliment to my visualization skills, so I'll just say thanks. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much.

Jaed621: I remember when my grandmother died; it was right around Christmas time, too. I tried to think back to how I felt then and input that into my story. I'm glad I did it so well.

BubbleSheep: Beautifully? Really? How sweet!

AsaneismRnuTs: I'm happy your writing break was so worth it, and that you are enjoying my story so much. Good luck on your paper. I was a history major, too, though I studied more British and American History. What's your paper on?

Jessabelle87: I wanted that chapter to end on a more pleasant note than the previous one had, so after I proofread, I added the tree-decorating scene for a little bit of fluff.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Temperance sat on her couch, staring at the lights on the tree in front of her. She hadn't had a Christmas tree in fifteen years, not since the year that…

_Why do these things always happen to me around Christmas time?_ she asked herself bitterly. Annoyed, she swiped at her tears once again, sighed, and took a sip of her tea. It was late: almost one-thirty in the morning. She and Seeley had put the kids to bed, then had retired to her bedroom to make love twice. However, long after Booth had fallen asleep, Temperance had lain awake, mulling over the day's events.

_And I told Cam once that mulling is a waste of time_, she reflected wryly.

She heard the soft padding of his feet long before she heard his voice. "Bones? What are you doing out here? It's the middle of the night."

"I know. Couldn't sleep." She sighed again as he grabbed her cup to pour her some more tea. "I kept thinking about Russ and Amy; my parents; us; the kids. How could someone do this to us? I understand people wanting revenge against my father for what he's done in the past, but why kill Russ and Amy? A part-time nurse with two little girls and an amateur mechanic with a petty theft rap weren't a threat to anyone!"

Booth came back into the living room with two mugs and handed her one. She took a sip of the scalding liquid and continued. "I'm telling you something right now: whoever did this to them made a _big_ mistake leaving their remains where we could find them," she announced, eyes blazing like blue fire.

Booth chuckled at a memory. "Why, because it made you mad?" he prodded.

She snapped out of her musings and gave him a wry grin, remembering the case he was thinking of. "No, because I'm going to use them to help you catch them," she retorted.

"That's my girl. Go, gather up your Squint Squad, and I'll get the kids," he decided.

She did a double take. "What? Why?"

"Bones, whoever did this to your father and your brother knows that you're the only Brennan left. They also know that you're the only Brennan that can catch murderers just by looking at a bunch of bones. I'm not letting you go _anywhere_ without me until we catch this guy."

"But we can't take the kids to the lab, Booth; the remains…"

Booth turned back to her. "Then we'll lay them down on the couch in your office so they can sleep, and when they wake up, maybe Angela can draw a 3-D picture of them or something to keep them entertained. Don't press me on this, Temperance. We all go or none of us go; that's the way it is," he challenged.

"Fine," she huffed. "Let me get changed and pack day bags for the kids, then I'll help you get them."

"Great. Actually, I'll head into the bedroom with you, so I can get a pair of jeans and my gun on," he replied.

They changed in silence, then tiptoed into the kids' bedroom. Temperance found all three of the kids' backpacks and filled them with a change of clothes, some books, toys, and activities. She pulled the clue game she had bought with the girls, and Parker's Disney memory game off the shelf in the closet, and headed to the kitchen to put a sandwich, some fruit, crackers, juice boxes, and cookies in each of the backpacks. She looked up to see Katie walking blearily toward her.

"Agent Booth says we're going to your work," the girl mumbled, her voice laced with sleep.

Temperance nodded. "That's right. We need to find out who did this to your mommy and Russ, and we can't leave you guys here alone, so you have to come with us," she answered, ruffling her hair. "Do you want to go put your shoes and socks and coat on?"

Katie did as Temperance asked, as Tempe grabbed Hayley and Parker's coats and shoes from the entryway and headed into the kids' bedroom. She handed Hayley's things to Booth and wiggled Parker into his coat and boots before shouldering his backpack and picking him up.

Booth shouldered Hayley's backpack and hoisted her up, settling her head on his shoulder. He grabbed Katie's backpack in his free hand, while Tempe balanced the games on her hip, and they headed out to the living room. Booth handed Katie her bag, and Temperance handed her the games as they left the apartment.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The group entered the lab, Booth and Brennan again holding Hayley and Parker while Katie walked in front of them. She notices Zack sitting in front of a computer screen on the platform, Hodgins bent over a microscope at his examination area, Angela inputting possible scenarios into the Angelator, and Cam measuring something on one of the skulls.

She and Booth entered her office and laid the kids down on the couch. "Katie, you can climb up here and go back to sleep, if you want to," Temperance mentioned, patting the spot on the couch next to Parker.

The girl shook her head. "I'm too awake to sleep now, Tempe. Can I read, though?"

Temperance smiled. "Sure. I packed a couple of your new books in your backpack. Go ahead and read for a little bit. Do you want something to drink?"

"Water, please," the child requested.

"I'll get her the water, Bones; you go do what you do," Booth offered. Tempe nodded and left the office.

"Zack," Temperance said softly, getting his attention. The genius looked up, startled.

"Dr. Brennan," he said tiredly. "Is it morning?"

She offered him a wry half-smile. "No, it isn't. Why do you always ask me that when I come here in the middle of the night?" she asked suspiciously. "Why are you still here?"

Zack rubbed his eyes to shake the sleepiness out of them. "We're all here. We're not going home until we catch this guy. Dr. Goodman's orders, not that he could have made us do any different," he added.

Temperance was touched at the dedication her team had to her. "Thank you," she said sincerely.

"I think I found something," Cam announced from the exam tables. "But I can't make it out." She indicated the gunshot wound on Max's skull. "See, here's the entrance wound, but there's no exit wound, which would indicate the bullet was still embedded in his skull. However," she turned the skull over, pointing out a separate wound, "there's something else here. Could the bullet have hit the skull and dented it?" she asked.

Temperance took the skull out of Cam's hands and studied it for several moments. "No. The second wound was an exterior impact as well. See the radiating fractures?" she flipped the skull upside down so they could see inside it. "They're less visible on the interior skull. Zack, can you clean up the skeletons so we can examine them more thoroughly, please?"

Zack glanced at Cam, who nodded. "We're going to catch this guy, Dr. Brennan," she promised.

Temperance nodded back. "Yes, we will."

"An ovum from a gallus domesticus," Hodgins announced, coming up to them.

"What about a chicken egg?" Cam asked, confused.

"It's what Dr. Brennan pulled from Amy Smithson's hand," he replied. "More specifically, a hard-boiled egg from the leghorn chicken variety."

"Jack, remind me when this is all over to speak to you about the insanity of formality between two people that have been buried alive together for more than twelve hours and lived to tell the tale," Temperance rebuked.

Hodgins regarded her thoughtfully before nodding. "Duly noted, Temperance," he responded.

She grinned. "Good."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I suspect: Colonel Mustard, in the Drawing Room, with the Candlestick," Dr. Goodman announced, glancing at his scorecard. He, Booth, Katie, Hayley, and Angela were seated in Angela's office, playing Clue. Parker was sitting in Angela's lap, "helping" her.

Dr. Goodman had come down several hours earlier to speak to Temperance about something, before noticing Katie pulling the mystery game off Dr. Brennan's desk. Since it had been a favorite game of his kids' to play when they were younger, he was prevailed upon to join them.

So intent upon their game were they, that no one noticed Temperance standing in the doorway watching the game, until she snorted at Goodman's "accusation". The group looked up sharply.

"What's so funny, Bones?" Booth asked curiously.

"I just got that," she replied. "'Kyle hit the duke in the crypt with the candlestick'," she quoted, at their blank looks.

Booth and Goodman remembered the scene and burst out laughing. The kids all looked confused and turned to Angela. "Miss Angie, what's funny?" Hayley asked seriously.

Angela shook her head. "I have no idea," she answered, which set off an even larger round of laughter from Booth, Brennan, and Goodman.

"Marni Hunter," Temperance managed to squeak out. Understanding dawned in Angela's eyes.

"That was the joke between Goodman and Booth that you didn't get," she stated.

Temperance nodded. "Zack has the bones cleaned, and he's analyzing the second wound now. He should have it on the computer screen so we can see it more closely," she announced. Booth and Angela stood up to follow her, leaving Goodman in the office with the kids.

"There's also evidence of the same wound on Russ, but not on Amy," she mentioned, after they had left the kids' hearing. "Cam's working on a probable cause of death for her, since she doesn't appear to have sustained the same amount of trauma Russ or my father did."

"She didn't have the same injuries because she wasn't a primary target; she was simply killed for what she knew," Booth concluded.

Temperance rolled her eyes. "Facts before conclusions, please!" she snapped.

"Bones, I used to do this kind of work. I'm telling you: if a person's not a target, but sees what you're doing, you take them out the fastest way possible: a gunshot to the head." He pointed to the entrance wound on Amy's skull.

"She must have been so scared," Angela said softly, a grieved look in her eyes. "She knew she was going to die, didn't she, Booth?"

He hesitated before briefly nodding. "Probably. If it had been me, I'd have made her watch me deal with Max and Russ before dealing with her, just so she knew and could think about it."

"Here's the image of your dad's skull, Dr. Brennan," Zack announced, zooming in on the screen. "This is the second wound area. Let me see if I can clean up the image so we can see the fracture patterns." He typed in a command, and a familiar-looking circular pattern emerged.

"Could that be from a tire iron?" Cam asked, squinting at the image.

Temperance shook her head. "No, it's too small for a tire iron, but it fits the size and shape of a spring-loaded stun-gun." She and Booth looked at each other.

"McVicar," they said simultaneously.

"Is he even out?" Jack asked. "I thought he was in prison for violating parole."

"Who's McVicar?" Cam asked, the only one not in the loop.

"I'll make a phone call," Booth announced. He pulled his cell out and dialed his boss, Director Cullen, to find out about McVicar.

"Hello?" Cam shouted, waving her hands to get someone's attention. "New girl on the block! Again I ask: Who is McVicar?"

"Thank you, sir," Booth said, snapping his phone shut. "Vince McVicar is a hit-man turned pig farmer who knew Bones' parents way back when. He killed her mother 13 years ago, and we found out about it a few months ago when Christine Brennan's body turned up in Limbo here at the Jeffersonian."

"What did Cullen say?" Temperance asked, moving to his side.

He pulled her close and sighed. "He said to give him an hour to find out and he'd call us back."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I hate it when cops go bad," Booth muttered, snapping his phone shut.

"What was that?" Temperance asked, sitting next to him on the couch in her office. She, Booth, Zack, Angela, Jack, Cam, and Goodman had collected there to go over their notes when Cullen had called with his findings.

"That was Cullen," he replied. "Apparently, McVicar was signed out of custody three weeks ago by an Agent Pickering of the State Department. The phone calls to Amy Smithson were traced back to Pickering's phone." Brennan, Hodgins, Zack, and Goodman gasped collectively.

"This is my fault," Temperance muttered.

Booth tightened his hold on her. "Listen to me. _None _of this is your fault. These things just happen. Now who is this guy Pickering?"

"Girl," Tempe responded automatically. "Samantha Pickering was here about ten months ago, doing a security review. When she got around to interviewing me, she asked a question about a need-to-know case I had done in Cuba several years ago. When I called in her inquiry, her review was suspended and her notes destroyed. This is my fault."

"Sweetie, this is _not_ your fault," Angela insisted. "You couldn't have foreseen this happening. Hell, at the time, you didn't even _know_ about your parents, or where Russ was, or Amy. This isn't your fault."

"Can we trace her?" Temperance asked Booth. "Maybe finding her will lead us to Pickering."

"I'll see what I can do," Booth promised, flashing one of his patented charm smiles.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"FBI's traced Pickering's car," Booth announced a couple hours later. "She's back in DC, with a passenger, and has checked into a motel a few blocks from your place, Bones."

"Great! Let's go," Temperance announced, jumping up. She had been reading to the kids from Little House in the Big Woods while Katie helped Parker with his memory game and Hayley colored in one of her coloring books.

"Who says you're going? Bones, I want you to stay here with the kids where it's safe. I've got a team surrounding the motel; I'm going in. You stay here."

"Booth, I'm never safer than when I'm with you," Temperance pointed out.

"No, Bones. I can't keep my eye on you, McVicar, _and_ Pickering all at once. That's beyond my realm of capability. You're in a fully secured building here; no one can get in." He didn't mention that he didn't want her anywhere _near_ McVicar after pissing him off so badly the last time she had seen him.

She followed him out to the lab. "You have to take someone with you that can identify Pickering. You only saw a glimpse of her when she was coming to interview Zack," she argued.

"Then I'll take Hodgins," Booth announced, pointing at the slime doctor.

"Me? Help the FBI track down a serial killer and a rogue agent?" the scientist whined. "No, thanks. They probably make you sign your life away in blood and eat a live chicken while performing a rain dance."

Temperance fought to maintain a straight face. "Not on your first time, Jack," she replied seriously.

Angela looked delighted. "'Very good, Annelle; spoken light a true smart-ass!'" she quoted in a really bad Southern accent.

Jack, Booth, Cam, and Goodman started laughing. "That's very good, Ms. Montenegro," Goodman complimented.

"I don't get it," Temperance looked confused, causing the others to laugh again.

"'Steel Magnolias', Bones?" Booth asked, waiting for Hodgins to get his jacket on.

She looked at him quizzically. "Steal what magnolias, Booth?" As everyone laughed even harder, she continued. "Come on, guys! Steal what magnolias?"

"Unbelievable, Bones!" Booth insisted, shaking his head as he headed out the door of the lab with Hodgins.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: OK, chapter 6 is completed. What do you think?


	7. Case Resolution

BonesDBchippie: Your reviews never cease to bring a smile to my face! I'm glad you liked the tree scene; I enjoyed writing it. I needed some laughter to get away from all the crying. And you're right; at a time like this in their lives, the characters _will_ have emotional ups and downs. I'm glad you think the case is interesting, too…I got inspiration to bring Pickering into the picture by re-watching "The Woman in the Car" and seeing the look on her face when she found out her security review was suspended.

Kellyjean27: I agree; Temperance is such a non-conventional person that it wouldn't be realistic for her to suddenly just up and want kids the traditional way. Added to the fact that she's always in defense of those in the foster system because of her own past; it just seemed more logical for her to be starting a family this way. Perhaps, later on, she may decide she wants a baby, after she has been in the daily routine of caring for children for awhile.

A/N: OK, I'm going to address a personal review I received yesterday. This person stated that it's not realistic for Bones to be just joking and having fun with Booth and the kids right after finding out about her father and brother, and that it wasn't realistic for Hayley to want to go see Santa right after finding out about her mother. I initially wanted to agree with this person and change the outcome of chapter 5, but I've re-read it and spoken to several people and have decided to keep the chapter the way it is, and this is why. Hayley is six years old; she's in kindergarten or first grade. Kids that age do not understand the concept of death; the most she probably understands is that Mommy's in Heaven now with Jesus and won't be coming home. She's sad that her mommy won't be coming back to her; not necessarily that she's dead. And Bones does tend to draw away from people when she has emotional issues to work out, but she can't do that now with the kids right in front of her and needing her attention. She has to put on a good face for them. Anyway, that's my defense of my story. Speaking of which, now to get back to writing it…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Booth came back to the lab nonchalantly, with Hodgins trailing after him, white as a ghost. Temperance – wiping down the last of the three exam tables after having packed up the remains and sent them to processing to be released for burial – looked up and headed toward them.

"What happened?" she asked, glancing from one to the other. Angela came running up, followed by Cam and Zack.

"Hey guys, how'd it go?" the artist asked conversationally. She noticed Jack's white face and turned to him, concern lacing her voice. "Jack, are you alright?"

He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts and turned to her, smiling reassuringly. "Let's just say I have a hell of a lot more respect for the G-Man now, baby," he replied, leaning in for a brief kiss before heading to his station.

"Booth, what happened out there?" Temperance demanded, hands on her hips.

He shook his head. "Nothing. Bug Man just isn't used to going after criminals, that's all," he answered, shrugging.

"Don't give me that. There isn't much that fazes Hodgins – unless he's been hit by a car and is buried alive, that is – but he looked as white as a blanket just now."

Seeley rolled his eyes. "_Sheet_, Bones. White as a _sheet_."

"Whatever." She waved off the faux pas. "Just tell me what happened."

He glanced around to find the kids and, seeing them playing cards in Angela's office, led Temperance to her own. Once inside, he shut the door and pulled down the blinds before addressing her question.

"Nothing happened, really. McVicar made a comment about you and I lost it and punched him in the gut, that's all."

"No," she said.

"Yes," he insisted. "That's it."

"I'm not buying it. If it was just a comment made about me and a punch in the gut, Jack would have been excited, not scared. Now, dammit Seeley, _what happened_?"

"OK!" he shouted, startling her. "After he and Pickering had been placed in the restraints, McVicar said he wanted to talk to you; I told him not a chance in hell. He started saying how attractive you were and speculating how you would be in bed, and I lost it. I punched him in the gut. Pickering used the opportunity to take Andrews' gun from his side holster, wrap her arms around Hodgins, and managed to get the gun pointed at his head. How she did that so quickly and efficiently in hand restraints I still don't know, but she did it." He shook his head, remembering the scene, but straightened up and continued his story when he saw Temperance's exasperated look.

"Anyway, she couldn't stand behind Hodgins and hold the gun to his head with her wrists in restraints and wrapped around his neck, so she was standing to his left, gun in her right hand and tucked under his chin. She told me I wouldn't dare shoot when she had my friend in a hold like that, but I saw a clear shot and I took it. I killed her when she had her gun pressed against Hodgins' chin and her finger on the trigger. I took a chance with his life, and I know it." He slumped onto the couch.

Her look softened and she moved to sit next to him. "You did what you had to," she assured him. "Jack knows that."

"She could have pulled that trigger by reflex, though."

"Where did you shoot her?" Temperance asked, sighing. Booth pointed to a spot on his forehead, exactly between his eyes. "OK," she continued. "I'm sure that, as a sniper, you know that that is the only spot you can shoot somebody where their reflexes are taken out of commission."

Booth nodded, annoyed. "I know that up here," he pointed to his head, "but it's completely different when…"

"When it's your friend," she finished for him sympathetically.

He nodded. "Yeah." She shifted her position, placing her left hand on his left thigh, her right hand on his right shoulder, and her cheek against his left shoulder.

"You know something?" she asked quietly after a few minutes.

"Hmmm?" He turned his head slightly to the left to regard her thoughtful expression.

"I'm glad you were an Army sniper; it's made you an even better FBI agent than you would otherwise have been." She kissed him gently and stood up, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I want to see McVicar," Temperance announced a short time later, after Booth had come out of her office wearing a much less troubled expression.

He shook his head emphatically. "Absolutely not, Bones."

"Why not?" she asked, irritated.

"Because he's a killer, Bones. He's dangerous."

"He's in a maximum security prison, and I'd be speaking to him in a guarded room with you accompanying me. What's he going to do, talk me to death?" she retorted.

He sighed. "I don't want you talking to him alone," he stipulated.

"Wouldn't dream of it with you around," she responded acerbically.

He glared at her and rolled his eyes. "Come on; let's see if we can get 'Dr. Jack' and 'Miss Angie' to take the kids to pick up the pizza and movies for tonight," he suggested.

"Huh?" she asked quizzically. "What movies?"

He smiled mischievously. "Hodgins and I decided that you needed to increase your knowledge of pop culture. I invited him and Angela over for dinner and movies tonight."

"You know," she scowled, "the last time I checked, it was _my_ apartment we were staying at."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"You are _definitely_ Ruth Keenan's daughter," McVicar cooed appreciatively, looking her up and down.

"That's not going to work, Mr. McVicar," Temperance responded coldly. "You killed my mother; you can't possibly think I'd believe a word you say now."

"Joy, you can't prove I killed your mother or anybody else. You've got _nothing_," he insisted.

"I have the weapon you used against her," she replied. "I have the stun-gun _and_ the .45 you used against my father and brother. I have the .36 you used against Amy Smithson. I have the title to the car – in your name – in which my father, Russ, and Amy were found. I have my brother's truck found in your barn. _And_ I have the stash of empty gasoline cans you used to douse your car with before torching it. I have enough to help the DA convict."

McVicar glanced surreptitiously at Booth, standing in the corner, before gently stroking her face.

Booth shook his head. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, McVicar," he warned.

McVicar ignored him and was delighted when Temperance reached up and gently grabbed the hand on her cheek. That is, he _was_ delighted until she twisted the arm around her and brought it crashing down on the table next to them. He howled in pain as Booth shrugged and tssk'd.

"I tried to tell you," he grinned.

McVicar glared at them. "I think you broke my wrist, Joy!" he screamed menacingly. "How am I supposed to work if one of my wrists is broken?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I'd be happy to break the other one for you, if you'd like," she responded, turning away.

Booth watched McVicar until Temperance was safely out of the room, then grinned. "See ya in court, Vinnie," he challenged cheerfully. He and Tempe heard McVicar screaming until they exited the cell block.

"It's over," she realized, breathing deeply.

"Well, this nightmare is," he agreed. "We still have the little matter that the girls lost their mother yesterday, and you lost your father and brother. But we'll deal with it as it comes."

She grinned and nodded. "So, about the pizza and movies…exactly what movies are we talking about?"

He laughed. "Oh, you're gonna love them, Bones," he promised.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_"I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'M FINE! I can jog all the way to Texas and back, but my daughter can't. She never could! Oh, God! I'm so mad I don't know what to do! I wanna know why! I wanna know WHY Shelby's life is over! I wanna know how that baby will ever know how wonderful his mother was! Will he EVER know what she went through for him? Oh, God, I wanna know WHY! Why? Lord, I wish I could understand! No! No! No! It's not supposed to happen like this! I'm supposed to go first! I've always been ready to go first! I-I don't think I can take this. I-I just wanna HIT somebody till they feel as bad as I do! I wanna hit something, I wanna hit it HARD!"_

_"Here! Hit this! Go ahead, M'Lynn, slap her!"_

_"Are you crazy?"_

_"HIT HER!"_

_"Are you HIGH, Clairee?"_

_"Clairee, have you lost your mind?"_

_"We'll sell t-shirts, saying 'I Slapped Ouiser Boudreaux!' Hit her!"_

_"Ms. Clairee, enough!"_

_"Ouiser, this is your chance to do something for your fellow man. Knock her lights out, M'Lynn!"_

_"Let go o' me!"_

_"M'Lynn, you just missed the chance of a lifetime! Half o' Chiquapin Parish'll give their eye-teeth to take a Whack O' Ouiser!"_

_"You are a pig from Hell!"_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

They shut off the movie and stretched, careful not to wake the kids. Temperance had been laughing so hard her side had begun to hurt. She shifted Parker off her lap so she could stand and start to pick up the beer bottles and pizza boxes from her coffee table.

"OK," she admitted, "I have to say, you were right about the movie. It was very funny."

Booth hoisted Hayley up and leaned over to give Temperance a kiss before heading to the spare bedroom. "I'm glad you approved," he smirked.

Temperance walked Jack and Angela out to the door. "We'll see you tomorrow, Bren," Angela stated, giving the Anthropologist a quick hug as she walked out the door.

"Good night, Temperance," Jack added, waving.

She said good night to her friends, then sighed and shut the door, heading back to finish cleaning up the dinner things.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: OK, this one's a little shorter, I admit. But tomorrow's chapter should be back up to normal length. Let me know what you think!


	8. School Enrollments

TrueRomantic: I'm happy to see someone from my other stories reading this one, too, and I'm flattered that you think I'm an amazing writer. I'm sure it _would_ be really hard to raise kids with no knowledge of pop culture. By the way, the movie they were watching is "Steel Magnolias", so Brennan would understand Angela's joke in Chapter 6.

AsaneismRnuTs: I always like it when Booth goes alpha-male on Brennan, too; who says chivalry is dead? Anyhow, your paper sounds really interesting. I think one of the hardest papers I had to write was a 10-page dissertation on the Supremacy of the Judicial branch over the Executive and Legislative branches in the United States Government. What made it really hard was that I had to start way back in the beginning of the US government and dissect every major Supreme Court ruling. It was brutal, but I learned a lot.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

December 19, 2006

"Dr. Saroyan, it's Dr. Brennan," Temperance spoke into the phone as she pulled on her jacket.

"What can I do for you, Dr. Brennan?" the Pathologist asked pleasantly. Tempe and Cam had made a concentrated effort to be more civil to one another for the sake of their professional lives.

"I'm not going to make it in to the lab until after lunch. The girls need to be enrolled in school, and I just received word that today is the deadline to enroll new students in the DC school district," Temperance explained.

"No problem," Cam replied. "How are they doing, by the way? I only saw them briefly yesterday when they were playing Clue with Dr. Goodman."

Temperance glanced to the kitchen table where Parker was chatting with Katie over their cereal bowls, and Hayley was drawing a picture for Angela. "They're doing as well as can be expected," she replied in a lowered tone. "Hayley, of course, doesn't quite understand the concept of death yet at her age, and Katie is putting up a good front, but I can see the grief in her eyes."

"Just give them some time," Cam answered sympathetically. "And take some yourself if you need it. This can't be easy for you, either."

"I actually need to work," Temperance shook her head. "It's the only way I can keep myself from going insane. I'll work on the next John Doe from Limbo; I understand it's an interesting case."

"I'll see you when you come in, then."

"Thanks." Brennan snapped her phone shut and asked the girls to get their coats and shoes on.

"Can you take Parker, too, Bones?" Seeley asked, coming around to stand in front of her.

"I have a ton of paperwork to do today, and it _has_ to be done." He grinned his patented smile and kissed her briefly. "After all, not everyone can get out of work so easily. _Some_ of us have jobs to do," he teased.

She rolled her eyes and kissed him back. "You get him ready; I'll pack his bag," she temporized.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Child's name?" the receptionist at Adams Elementary School asked.

"Katrina Smithson," Temperance replied, smiling down at Katie.

"Can you spell that name, please?"

Temperance rolled her eyes at the girls, indicating the woman with her head. "K-A-T-R-I-N-A."

"Grade?"

"Third."

"Birthdate?"

At Tempe's blank look, Katie supplied, "January 10, 1998."

"Any other kids?" the receptionist continued impatiently.

"Are you blind?" Temperance asked the woman, nodding toward Hayley, who was giggling at her.

"It was just a question, ma'am; no reason to get huffy," the woman responded rudely.

"Not an intelligent question," Temperance retorted. "Her name is Hayley Smithson, and she's in kindergarten. H-A-Y-L-E-Y."

"My birthday is October 12, 2000," Hayley added.

Now it was the receptionist's turn to look at Temperance. "Intelligence, huh? Don't even know your own children's birthdays."

"We're not her kids," Katie replied sadly, fighting back the tears.

If looks could kill, the venom pouring from Tempe's eyes would have flattened the woman in less than a second. Wrapping her arms around the girls and pulling them close, Temperance announced that she wanted to speak with the principal of the school.

The receptionist smirked. "That's just not possible. She has a meeting in about ten minutes."

Temperance stood up. "I'm sorry; she has a meeting _right now_." She picked up Parker, grabbed Hayley by the hand, and indicated she wanted Katie to hold onto her waistband as she headed toward the office labelled "Principal's Office". Knocking lightly twice, they entered the room to find a sharply-dressed, intelligent-looking young woman behind the desk.

The woman looked Temperance over and smiled warmly in recognition. "You're Dr. Temperance Brennan, aren't you?" she asked politely.

Tempe was taken aback. "Well, yes, I am. How did you know that?"

"I've read both of your books. Completely enthralling work, by the way; you're really good at what you do," she replied.

Temperance smiled sincerely for the first time since she entered the school building. "Thank you."

"I'm Mrs. Andrews; what can I do for you?" She indicated for Temperance and the kids to take seats before seating herself in her chair and offering a piece of candy out of the dish on her desk to the kids and a cup of coffee to Temperance. All four accepted, and Temperance began her explanation after the woman sat down again.

She explained about the girls' situation: how they had come to her; their mother's death; and that she was now their unofficial guardian until she could get the legal matters straightened out.

"Are you related to the girls in any way?" Mrs. Andrews inquired, but Tempe shook her head.

"Not technically. Their mother was dating my brother; they called him 'Daddy Russ'," she replied. She and Mrs. Andrews spoke for a few more minutes about her unique situation with the girls, until the principal recalled that she had another appointment waiting for her.

"Well, Dr. Brennan, it was a pleasure meeting you. And welcome to the school, girls." She bent down to lightly chuck both girls under their chins, coaxing smiles out of them. She ruffled Parker's hair briefly before turning her attention back to Tempe.

"Thank you for your time, Mrs. Andrews," Temperance said. "Oh, and by the way, your receptionist is extremely rude." She briefly explained what had happened to make her barge into the office in the first place, and the principal sighed.

"This is the fourth parental complaint we've had about her this year. I'm sorry, Dr. Brennan; it will be taken care of," Mrs. Andrews assured the scientist.

"I appreciate that," Temperance smiled as she again picked up Parker and herded the girls out the door of the office.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"What are we gonna do now, Dr. Tempe-Bones?" Parker asked as she strapped him into the booster seat Seeley had installed in her car. It was only ten-thirty in the morning.

"Well, I have to go talk to a priest at the church, and then we can go the park for a little bit before we go for lunch. After lunch, we have to go back to my work," she replied, making sure the strap was cinched across Hayley's lap before crawling out of the backseat and getting behind the wheel.

"Why are we going to the church, Tempe?" Katie asked from the passenger seat. "It isn't Sunday."

"I know it isn't Sunday, Katie. I have to talk to the priest about something else," she responded vaguely.

The child shrugged, then went back to reading her book. Tempe smiled and ruffled her hair playfully.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Father McCullum," Temperance began. Eyeing the kids, talking quietly several pews in front of them, she lowered her voice and continued. "I don't want to speak loudly because I don't want to upset the children; they've been through so much already."

Father McCullum nodded kindly and summed up her request. "Let me see if I have this right, Dr. Brennan. You want me to conduct the funeral for your father, your brother, and his girlfriend. This girlfriend, Amy, is the mother of the two beautiful young ladies sitting over there. Am I correct so far?"

Temperance nodded. "Yes," she replied. "The girls were in my custody when this happened."

"Hmmm…I see. Are you Catholic, Dr. Brennan?" he asked, curious.

Temperance looked away. "No, I'm not. But the girls are; so was their mother. And so were my father and brother."

"Your father and brother were christened into the Church, but you were not?"

"They joined the Church later in life, Father," she responded acerbically.

"And you've decided it isn't for you. Are you planning on keeping those girls from Mass, then?" He nodded in the direction the kids were sitting.

She shook her head. "No. I wouldn't keep them from services if they really wanted to attend. I personally don't believe; that doesn't mean I object to others believing if it makes them feel better."

"Then how…?" he trailed off.

"How will they attend if I insist on not coming?" she asked for him. He nodded, eyes twinkling. "My partner is Catholic; he's Parker's father." She indicated the boy sitting with Katie and Hayley.

Father McCullum remained thoughtful before nodding. "I'll perform the funerals," he replied.

She smiled and stood up. "Thank you very much, Father."

He shook her hand and walked with her towards the children. "I look forward to speaking with you again in the future, Dr. Brennan. Good afternoon. Good bye, children." He nodded to all four individually before heading deeper into the sanctuary.

Temperance looked after him for a moment before smiling down to the kids. "OK, let's get to the park," she suggested brightly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"How did your morning go?" Booth asked into the phone when she called him later that afternoon. She was in the lab, bent over John Doe 4789962 with her cell phone lodged in between her chin and her shoulder.

She glanced into her office, where the kids were playing "Go Fish". "It went fine," she replied. "The girls are all set for school, and I talked to the priest about Dad, Russ, and Amy's funeral." She heard Booth's intake of breath. "Booth? Are you OK?" she asked, concerned.

"Priest?" he replied, voice tight. "Did you say you spoke to a priest about the funeral? Bones, you're not Catholic."

She rolled her eyes and picked up the left femur, examining it. "I'm aware of that, Booth. But Dad, Russ, and Amy all were," she pointed out. "I have to conduct their funerals the way they would want them."

She heard his chuckle. "You're one in a million, Bones," he announced huskily.

"What are you talking about?" she replied, confused.

He explained. "Only you would go to a priest, explain to him that you're not Catholic and have no intention of ever being so, and ask him to conduct the funeral of your career-criminal father, parolee brother, and a woman you barely knew. What did he say?"

She shrugged. "He agreed. He _did_ mention that he was looking forward to speaking to me again, though. Anyhow, the funeral will probably be Thursday."

"That's in two days; do the girls know?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, but they will tonight. Speaking of which, how do steaks sound?"

"Great. Want me to pick some up on my way home?" he answered.

_Home_. He was calling _her_ apartment "home". The thought should have sent her running to change all her locks, but the exact opposite happened. A small smile spread across her face as she glanced again at the kids playing in her office.

"Bones? Are you there?" Booth's voice pulled her out of her reverie.

"Huh? Booth, I'm sorry; I didn't hear what you said."

"Is your Limbo case that exciting?" he asked wryly.

She grinned. "No, actually I was thinking of something completely different," she replied. "Don't worry about the steaks; the kids and I will stop at the grocery store when we're done here. I need to stock up anyhow."

"OK, I'll see you later then. Love you," he said before hanging up.

She stood up straight. "What?" she asked, alarm lacing her voice, but the line had already gone dead.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: OK, there's chapter 8. What do you think?


	9. Feelings Revealed

A/N: Thanks, everyone for all the reviews! I totally loved all of them!

Rockerbaby423: Don't worry about missing the last few chapters. School comes first; I totally understand that. I am glad, however, that you caught yourself up and reviewed for my last chapter. Just this side of evil, huh? Well, then you're gonna _hate_ me for this chapter. I appreciate that you don't think I have slipped up or lost my "touch" in this story, too.

GG.HP.Btvs.OC.House: Another reader with tears from chapter five! I'm happy my imagery skills are honed so well. I'm glad you like the story so much.

TrueRomantic: You really should go rent the movie. It's hilarious, and from your reviews from _Rainbow of Friendship_, _Follow the Pink Road_, and _Winter Wonderland_, I really think you would enjoy it. Anyhow, I don't know how weird Brennan will get in this chapter, but I'll leave it to you to decide.

BonesDBchippie: I thought you were Gayle, when I read her email. Am I right? Anyhow, yeah, I really enjoyed having Brennan break McVicar's wrist. He really deserved it, I thought. And Booth going all protective alpha-male? Yeah, who wouldn't want that?

Jessabelle87: I enjoy all kinds of reviews; they don't all have to be constructive. Although it's always nice to get constructive criticism, just knowing you enjoy the story is enough for me.

Ariz33: Yeah, I did get like five reviews from you – all within half an hour of each other – yesterday. I'm glad you enjoy the story so much, and I'm flattered that this story is your favorite BB story.

RosieLady: Yeah, actually I found it surprisingly easy to write her taking so well to the maternal role. And I always thought she was good with kids; just maybe a little uncomfortable around them. I purposely didn't write anything for the first few days she had the girls so that it could be speculated about what kind of job she did there. Anyhow, I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much.

Jaed621: I actually contemplated not making it a Catholic funeral, but you're right; it's the right thing to do, so in it went.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Temperance went through the next few hours mechanically, looking at the bones in front of her but not actually _seeing_ them. She made notes on the John Doe, classified and categorized him, before cataloguing the case and sending the bones down to processing. The entire time, though, her mind was on the last two words Booth had spoken to her over the phone earlier.

_Love you_.

It was such a sweet thing to say; so normal. And so completely terrifying. Tempe had worked very hard to construct the walls around her, and now they were threatening to come crumbling around her with two little words.

_Love you_.

She walked into her office and announced to the kids – who had roped Angela into drawing for them – that she was done for the day.

"Are we gonna go home now, Dr. Tempe-Bones?" Parker asked eagerly, reaching for his jacket.

_Home_. There was that word again. She smiled, enjoying the fact that Parker now thought of her apartment as "home", just as his father did. Thinking of Booth, however, reminded her of the two little words he had spoken to her earlier, and she cleared her mind by addressing the little boy's question.

"Not yet, Parker; we need to go shopping. We're almost out of food. Speaking of food," she turned to Angela, "will you and Hodgins coming for Christmas dinner?" she asked, eyes pleading not to be left alone on such a momentous occasion for her.

"We'll be there," the artist promised, nodding once as if to emphasize her point.

"Be where, baby?" Hodgins inquired, entering the office to get Angela so they could go.

"Over to Bren's for Christmas," she replied.

Hodgins grinned mischievously. "Is there going to be talk on how tall Booth is, or how smart Temperance is?"

Tempe choked on the sip of cold tea she had been taking, and Angela clapped a hand over her mouth. "He told you that?" Tempe demanded, face red. Jack nodded, smiling knowingly. The kids looked from one adult to another in confusion.

"What's so funny?" Katie asked inquisitively.

"Yeah," Hayley added. "Agent Seeley _is_ tall," the girl insisted. Angela and Temperance snorted even harder, while Jack looked on in amusement.

"I'm sure he is," the entomologist managed.

"And Dr. Tempe-Bones _is_ really smart; my daddy said so," Parker insisted, hands on hips.

"Did he now?" Angela asked in delight, glancing at her friend.

"OK, enough!" Temperance announced, finally able to control herself. "The kids and I need to get to the grocery store."

"Sweetie," Angela noticed the worried look in her eyes, and thought of a way she could maybe talk to the scientist privately. "Do you have the food for Christmas dinner?"

Temperance shook her head. "I assumed that Booth and the kids and I would do that this weekend. Why?"

Angela laughed. "_Never_ leave these things until the last minute, Bren. You'll wind up settling for something you hate because the store was sold out of what you really wanted. How about if I come with you tonight?" she offered, as if suddenly thinking of it. "I'll help you pick out all the 'traditional' foods for Christmas, some 'everyday' things for the kids, and I'll get my shopping done at the same time. You can drop me off at Hodgie's on the way back."

Temperance eyed her friend, but finally nodded, resigned. She knew this was just a ruse so Angela could give her the third degree, but she was really too mentally exhausted to do much about it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"OK Bren, spill," Angela demanded once they were alone at the store. Hayley, Katie, and Parker were several yards ahead of them, each picking out the brand of cereal they wanted.

"Spill what, Ange?" she replied evasively.

"Sweetie, you have had that 'something-major-just-happened-but-I'm-not-entirely-sure-how-to-deal-with-it-yet' look in your eyes all afternoon. What gives? Did something happen with McVicar when you went to see him yesterday?"

"Other than me breaking his wrist in three places? Not really."

Angela laughed outright. "You broke his wrist? Honestly, sweetie, it's becoming something of a habit with you," she smirked, reminding Tempe of another wrist she had broken last year.

Temperance smiled wryly. "Vince McVicar is a hell of a lot harder to deal with than Howard Epps ever was," she pointed out. "With Epps, it was cut and dried. He liked a certain thing: young, blonde, attractive, pure girls. With McVicar," she sighed. "It's more complicated. He doesn't have a certain 'taste'. He'll kill anything with two legs. And Epps was never interested in making his victims suffer the way McVicar was."

Angela nodded. "Seems to me, his taste lies in anyone with the last name 'Brennan'," she remarked.

Temperance shook her head. "Amy wasn't a Brennan. And McVicar was killing people long before he started in on my family."

"OK, well, you have a point there," Angela conceded, "though I could point out that Amy would eventually have been a Brennan."

They quieted down as the kids came running back up to the cart, toting their boxes of cereal. Temperance selected a couple boxes of tea and the group made their way down the next aisle.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"He told you he loves you?" Angela asked incredulously. "And you didn't say anything?" It was an hour later and Temperance had asked Katie to get a gallon of milk, and Hayley and Parker to get whipping cream and eggs. These were the last few items on their list before they were to head back home.

"No, he hung up before I could say anything," Temperance responded, eyeing the kids carefully.

"But you _would_ have said something, right?" Ange persisted.

"I don't know, Angela, but it's not likely," she sighed.

"Why not? You love him, Temperance Brennan; I know you do," the artist announced.

Temperance rolled her eyes. "I honestly don't know what I feel for him, Ange. It would have been so much simpler if he had just left well enough alone."

"Sweetie, this is _Booth_ we're talking about here. The man proposed to a woman he didn't love just because she had his baby. Do you _honestly_ think he'd be happy with just sex with a woman he _does_ love?"

"What are you saying, that Booth all of a sudden wants to _marry_ me?" Tempe asked suspiciously.

"I really don't think it's all that sudden, Bren. The man's been flipped for you for almost as long as he's known you," Angela replied honestly. "Now, having said that, Booth's a smart guy. He knows you're not into marriage and all that. I have no doubt that he wants to marry you, but he would never jeopardize what he has with you by asking you unless he's sure you'll accept." She looked at her friend significantly as the kids came running back up with their items.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Temperance pulled the blanket tight over the sleeping kids and kissed each one gently on the forehead. She turned off the bedside lamp and left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar. She and Booth had been tiptoeing around each other all evening, each knowing they needed to talk but not willing to do so in front of the kids.

They had, however, told the girls about the funerals on Thursday. Katie had gone very quiet before asking if that's what she had been doing at the church earlier. At Temperance's nod, the girl had nodded and quietly moved to sit next to her, wrapping her arms around Tempe's waist, crying silently.

Hayley had taken it a little better. She had asked what a funeral was, and when Booth had explained that it was a service held to remember people that had gone to Heaven, she had nodded and seemed satisfied.

Temperance wiped the tears that had slowly begun to streak down her face. _Good grief,_ she thought sourly, _will this crying never end?_ She took a deep breath and slowly headed toward the master bedroom.

He was standing at the window in his slacks and undershirt, his dress shirt probably in the hamper. "Kids asleep?" he asked quietly, never turning around.

"Yes," she nodded. Then, before he could say anything, she continued. "Why, Booth?"

"Why what, Bones?" he asked, finally turning to face her. "Why do I love you? Why do I care? Why do I want you? What exactly are you asking me 'why' for?"

"Why'd you say it?" she whispered.

"Because it's true," he answered simply. "And I didn't realize I had said it. It just…slipped out. But I'm not taking it back. I'm in love with you, Temperance; I have been for a very long time. You can't know how relieved I am to have finally said it, either."

She shook her head vehemently. "No, I can't, because I don't share that feeling," ranted, ignoring his pale face. "I haven't been contemplating this for months on end the way you obviously have; I'm still getting used to the idea of just _sleeping_ with you."

"What would you like, Temperance?" he demanded. "Tell me what we can do to fix this problem."

"I want our partnership back," she replied honestly.

His face went blank. "You-you can't possibly mean that," he stuttered. At her immobile face, he straightened his look "But if that's what you really want, then that's what'll happen. I hope you don't mind Parker spending the night; I'd really rather not wake him up. I'll be by to pick him up tomorrow morning," he announced before grabbing his jacket, gun, wallet, and keys and heading out the bedroom door. A moment later, she heard the front door slam shut.

She stared after him for a moment before crumpling on the bed, tears streaming down her face and shoulders heaving silently. She reached for the phone and dialed the only number she could think of to call right then.

"Can you come over?" she asked shakily.

"Bren? Sweetie, what happened?" Angela asked, concerned.

Temperance took a shaky breath and responded. "Booth left."

She heard Angela's intake of breath. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes," she answered.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: I know, I know; I'm so cruel. Chapter 10 will be out tomorrow, so you don't have to wait long, but until then, you can just sit and wonder and imagine what will happen. Oh, the possibilities! Tell me what you think!


	10. I Need You

A/N: I just want to thank BonesDBchippie for one of the lines in this chapter; it was so perfectly written in your review of chapter 9 that I couldn't pass up the chance to use it.

AsaneismRnuTs: I hope your presentation went well today. You told me a secret about your paper, so I'm gonna tell you a secret about how I manage to get chapters out on time: my job is super easy, so I spend my down time at work writing these chapters! It's kinda nice, though; I look at it like I get paid to do something I love: write! Now, if only one of my novels would get published, I could say that truthfully. Hmmm…

TrueRomantic: I know; I'm an evil person. You know, when I read your review, I had visions of a five-year old sticking out her tongue and saying "Meanie!" It made me laugh; it was so perfectly written! Now, I honestly had thoughts of continuing the chapter so you guys could see how it turned out yesterday, but I figured it was more intriguing to make you wait. I'm so mean.

Jaed621: It's funny you mentioned that she needs him; that's exactly what I was thinking yesterday, when I was writing the chapter.

Rockerbaby423: Glad to know you don't hate me, even after the cliffhanger I left. Actually, I didn't really expect anyone to hate _me_, just maybe the Brennan in my story. Yeah, I miss the Angela/Brennan chats, too; that's why I put this one in there. And the kids I just couldn't pass over for this conversation; it was just too perfect.

BonesDBchippie: So your husband hasn't figured out yet who really steers the ship, huh? That's OK; make him think he's in charge for a little bit. Maybe I _am_ just a little bit nuts. But that's why you all love me and are hooked on my story; it's what makes me a good writer. OK, so now that I've had my own little boost of self-confidence going there, I'm going to give you one: I loved your "yanked the poor guy's heart out, spit on it, then gave it a good stomp" so much that I'm incorporating it into my story. Hope you don't mind!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It actually took Angela only ten minutes to get to Brennan's apartment and let herself in. After the incident in New Orleans – then later the one with the exploding refrigerator – Temperance had given Booth, Angela, and Hodgins spare keys to her apartment just in case something happened to her and they needed to get in for some reason.

Angela made her way to the spare bedroom and glanced in. Satisfied that the kids were sleeping soundly, she headed down the hall to Brennan's bedroom and knocked lightly. "Bren? Sweetie?" she called softly before entering. What she found there shocked her. Temperance was curled up on her bed, knees to her chest, crying softly. Her body was wracking with sobs and she was clutching her bedspread.

"He's gone, Ange," Temperance replied, voice muffled by the bedspread. Angela quietly sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her friend's back, allowing her to continue if she wanted. "He just…left. He was so angry. And hurt! I don't think I've ever seen such disappointment in a person's eyes before." She quieted as another burst of sobs attacked her.

Angela remained silent for a moment, still stroking Temperance's back gently, forming her thoughts before speaking. "Sweetie, maybe he has a right to be angry," she began hesitantly. She continued when she saw the blue in Brennan's eyes turn her way. "Look at it from his perspective: he loves you. He loves you, and he told you that he loves you, and you blew him off. Jack called him just after you called me, and Booth said you told him you wanted your old partnership back. Bren, I know you aren't an emotional person; Booth knows that, too. But telling the man you've been sleeping with all week that you want to go back to being partners right after he tells you he loves you isn't the right move, either."

"Way to be supportive, Ange," Temperance remarked acerbically, sitting up.

Angela smiled. "Sweetie, it's the truth. While I don't agree with him walking out, I also don't agree with the way you handled things, either."

Temperance sighed. "The partnership thing; it didn't come out the way I meant it to."

"So go tell him what you meant to say," Angela suggested.

"I don't know, Ange. He was pretty angry when he left here."

"Brennan, he's probably not angry so much as hurt. The only person that can fix that is you. So _go_." She pulled her friend off the bed and gave her a good shove in the direction of the bedroom door.

"OK, I'm going! You'll stay here with the kids?" Temperance asked, slipping her feet into her shoes and grabbing her coat and keys.

"What, like I'd leave them by themselves?" Angela asked, laughing. "Don't worry, Bren; I'll still be here when you and that hunky G-man of yours get back."

Temperance laughed uncertainly. "Ange, you know how I feel about coming to conclusions before we have all the facts," she rebuked.

"Good thing that I'm not doing that, then," the artist countered good-naturedly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

She knocked tentatively and waited, biting her lower lip gently in anticipation. Finally, the door opened and Hodgins appeared, looking relieved to see her. "Angela called and told me you were on your way, but I didn't tell the G-man you were coming," he announced.

Temperance glanced behind him before asking, "How is he?"

"Drunk," was the laughing reply he gave her. He held the door open wider, allowing her in. He shut the door behind her and followed her into the living room, where she had headed.

Booth was slouched on the couch with a half-empty bottle of Jack in his hand. He glanced up at her when she entered the room and scowled. "Come for round two?" he asked bitterly.

"Jack, Angela's at my place waiting for you," Temperance looked sideways at the bug doctor, who was shaking his head. "Go," she whispered, turning her attention back to Booth. "We'll be fine."

Jack nodded, grabbing his jacket and heading out the door. "Good luck, Temperance," he mumbled on his way out.

Temperance took off her coat and laid it over the back of his recliner before taking a seat next to him. Booth's gaze on her never wavered as he muttered, "OK, you got him to leave. What do you want?"

She took a deep breath, relieved that he didn't _sound_ as drunk as he looked. She really needed him to have a clear head for this. He must have read her thoughts, because he remarked wryly, "I've had the bottle for months, only taking a drink every now and then. I've had maybe three shots tonight." He set the bottle on the coffee table in front of him and continued, "I planned to finish it off tonight, but obviously that's not gonna happen until you've finished with me. So again I ask: what do you want?"

"I want to apologize," she stated evenly. "You told me something very important to you today, and I reacted badly. I'm sorry."

"That's it?" he asked, standing up. "You _reacted badly_? Jesus, Bones, that doesn't even begin to cover it!" she cringed at the raised voice, but looked up at him anyhow. "I told you I love you, and instead of saying even just 'thank you', you told me you wanted to go back to being just partners! You yanked my heart out, spit on it, then stomped on it just for good measure, and all you can think of to say is you're _sorry_?"

"You didn't give me a chance to explain what I meant; you just left!" she countered, standing up with her eyes blazing.

"What do you mean, _explain what you meant_? 'I want our partnership back' is pretty well self-explanatory," he spat out.

"The partnership I was referring to was the one we had been creating _after_ we started sleeping together. The one where everything was equal between us; where everything was shared. _That's_ the partnership I want back."

He was stunned into silence, so she reached up and cupped his cheek. He wrapped his hand around hers and sat down, pulling her with him. "You took away our equality when you told me you loved me, Booth. I can't tell you that I love you; I don't know what it means to be in love."

He sighed and looked into her eyes. "Just answer one question for me, Bones," he requested.

She nodded and he continued, "Do you want me?"

She thought about if for a moment, then slowly shook her head. When she started to feel him back away, she squeezed his hand and explained. "My first reaction was to say 'yes'," she began, "but after thinking about it I realize I don't _want_ you nearly as much as I _need_ you. Wanting you implies that I don't have you. But when you told me you loved me, symbolically speaking, you handed your heart over to me."

He gave a little laugh. "Psychology, Bones?" he asked, amused.

"This isn't Psychology; this is Anthropology," she insisted. "I keep telling you: Psychology deals with the individual; Anthropology deals with society as a whole. Saying 'I love you' is different for every person. But it's generally accepted that when 'I love you' is said, the person that said it 'gave their heart' to the other person."

He held up his hands in defeat. "OK, so you don't want me. But you need me? Temperance, you don't _need_ anyone."

"When Katie and Hayley first came to me," she explained, "I didn't know what I was doing. Didn't have the slightest _clue_ how to take care of a child. You helped me through that. You were there to comfort me and the girls when we found out about our family. You were there to support me when I confronted McVicar. Don't you see? I don't know how to _be_ without you anymore."

"Is that all you need me for?" he joked. "To be there for you when things get tough?"

She smiled and joked back, "Well, the sex is really _great_."

He laughed delightedly and pulled her against him. "OK, that's all I wanted." At her confused look, he explained. "You admitted, in that spiel you just gave me, that you were attracted to me; you care about me; and you need me in your life. You would never admit to any of that if it wasn't true, just like I know that you will never admit to loving me if you're not 100 percent sure you do."

She nodded. "You're right; I would never toy with you like that."

"Which is why," he whispered. "I'm OK with just 'I need you' for right now. I'm a patient person; I can wait until you figure out if you love me or not to hear it. As long as you don't object to hearing it from me."

She pretended to contemplate his request before taking pity on his look and grinning. "I'd be disappointed in you if I didn't hear it every day," she laughed. "Who knows? The more you tell me, the faster I might figure it out."

"In that case," he leered, kissing her, "I love you." He kissed her right cheek. "I love you." Her left cheek. "I love you." Her chin. "I love you." He nibbled at her neck. "I love you." He leaned over her, pushing her backwards on the couch, as he unbuttoned her blouse and cupped her right breast. "I love you."

"Seeley," she murmured huskily, grinding her hips against his.

"Hmmm?" he moaned against her mouth.

She arched her back and wrapped her legs around his waist. "I little less talking; a little more action," she demanded, pulling off his t-shirt and running her fingers over his chest before shrugging out of her blouse and tossing it aside.

He complied with her request, and soon their remaining clothes had joined the pile on the floor and he was sheathing himself inside her, hard. "I love you," he groaned once more before succumbing to the urge to move.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Mmmm…morning," Booth mumbled the next morning, reaching over to the other side of his bed, only to find it empty. Alarmed, he opened his eyes and discovered what he already knew: he was alone. "Oh God, it was a dream," he groaned.

But what a dream: memories of the couch, the floor, the _kitchen table_, the wall, and the bed all came flooding back to him. He even felt pleasantly achy, and – peeking under the covers – noticed with some level of confusion that he was also completely naked. _Serves you right for drowning your sorrows in a bottle of Jack Daniels_, he chastised himself.

That's when it hit him: if all this was a dream, then Temperance really had meant what she said last night about just being partners, and a wave of grief washed over him. He rolled out of bed, pulled a pair of sweatpants out of his dresser, and headed to the kitchen to make himself some coffee.

As he headed down the hallway, however, he noticed the smells wafting through the apartment: coffee, bacon, eggs, and hashbrowns assaulted his nose. He entered the kitchen and stopped dead in his tracks. She was so adorable, standing over his stove, wearing nothing but one of his button-down shirts, humming as she flipped something in the pan in front of her.

"You're here," he stated, still stunned to see her standing there. She laughed before turning around, spatula still in her hand.

"I should think so, after last night," she glanced pointedly at the kitchen table, grinned sheepishly, then turned back to the stove.

He moved behind her, grabbed her around the waist, and kissed her hair. "I love you," he murmured.

She sighed contentedly. "I know." She turned her head for a kiss, deepening it instinctively, before remembering the eggs she had been frying. She broke away and turned her attention back to the pan. The eggs were taken out of the pan, pronounced to still be edible, and placed on plates already loaded down with hashbrowns, bacon, and sausage.

"Do we even have time to eat breakfast this morning?" Booth asked, glancing at the clock. 7:26. "We have to be at work in half an hour," he pointed out, getting himself a cup of coffee as she set the plates on the table and sat in front of hers.

She shook her head. "We don't have work for the next two weeks," she argued. At his blank look, she reminded him. "Christmas and New Year's Day? Cullen gave you the time off; I was there when he called you."

He nodded. "Yeah, but that doesn't start till Monday."

"Oh, that's right!" she remembered. "He called while you were still sleeping and said to take the rest of the week off for the funerals. Something about giving me 'emotional support'." She shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee.

He grinned lecherously. "What will we do with the time?" he asked, hand going to her knee as he leaned over for a kiss.

"We have to go pick out caskets. And flowers. And music. And arrange for the funeral home to pick up the remains from the Jeffersonian," she rambled. He kissed her once more to quiet her, then leaned back into his own chair.

"Is that it?" he grinned, amused.

She smiled, nodding. "For the morning, anyhow. This afternoon, we'll also have to buy the girls and Parker clothes for the funeral. And we still have the _tiny_ little matter of the pile of presents in the stowaway compartment in your SUV that still need to be wrapped. And we have to buy stockings for myself and the girls, and stocking stuffers. _And_, at some point today, I have to go shopping alone, so I can get _your_ presents…"

Again, he leaned over to silence her with a kiss. "I get it," he murmured, stealing one more kiss. "We're gonna need this huge breakfast you cooked, so we may as well eat it before it gets cold."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

They entered her apartment a short time later, holding hands and completely sated. They had, of course, taken a shower together after breakfast, adding to their list of marked areas in his apartment. Angela, Jack, and the kids looked up from the bowls of cereal they were eating, the two adults grinning knowingly.

"Tempe, where _were_ you guys?" Katie asked. "We woke up and you were gone, and Dr. Jack and Miss Angie told us that you had something you had to do."

"That's right, Sweetheart," Booth answered, coming up to ruffle the kids' hair. "Temperance and I had something to do," he grinned at her, "but it's done now. But we have to leave again as soon as Temperance gets dressed. We have a few errands to run for tomorrow," he whispered to Angela, nodding discreetly to the girls, who were chatting with Jack about the different kinds of beetles. Angela nodded soberly, then glanced at Brennan, who was gesturing for her to come into the bedroom.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So, did you tell him?" Angela asked, once they were alone. Tempe shook her head. "What? Sweetie, the two of you look a whole hell of a lot happier than you should, if you were yelling at each other the whole night."

"Ange, I can't tell Booth something that I don't honestly feel. I did, however, promise to tell him as soon as I do feel it. He says he's satisfied with that," she explained, pulling a pair of jeans and a shirt out of her closet and laying them on her bed.

"He's satisfied with unrequited love?" Angela asked doubtfully. "Sweetie, forgive me saying this, but that man deserves better."

"I told him I need him; I explained the 'partnership' comment; I even told him to tell me he loves me as often as possible," she defended. "I _want_ to love him, Angela; I just don't know how."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: OK, there's chapter 10. Let me know what you think!


	11. Shopping

Lemlee: I got your review for chapter 9 probably about thirty seconds after I submitted chapter 10 into I read the "fix this right now!", and thought to myself "but I already have!" Unfortunately, I think the server's been slow recently, because it didn't _show_ chapter 10 as submitted for a couple hours, and I didn't get my notice for it until early this morning. Sometimes I just want to chuck my computer out the window!

BubbleSheep: I understand about the post-exam-stress-relief-detox need to chatter. Strangely enough, it works both ways. An 8 AM hour-long presentation on the various uniforms of the Union and Confederate Armies (and their significances) was probably one of my favorite exams…no sitting, no writing, no pen-in-my-mouth struggles to remember what event happened on what date. For the few hours after that exam, I didn't say a _word_ because I was so sick of talking.

Jaed621: I'm glad you think I write Brennan well. It's difficult sometimes, writing about a character created by someone else, because what you would have that person do is not necessarily what the creator would have that person do. I always try to make the character as close to the way he or she was created as possible, though.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I like this one, Tempe," Hayley announced, showing Temperance a black dress embroidered with pink roses around the neckline and waist. Temperance glanced at the garment and nodded.

"I do, too," she agreed. "Why don't we pick out one more that we both like, then you can try them both on and we can see which one you like more, OK?"

"OK!" the girl went back to the rack she had been looking through.

Temperance pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. She and Booth had agreed that it would go faster if she and Angela took the girls shopping and he and Jack took Parker, but she was fading fast. They had been in the mall for almost an hour, and Hayley had found only the one dress, and Katie had not found one yet that she liked.

She felt his arms snake around her waist and his mouth plant a kiss at the base of her neck before resting his chin on her shoulder. She sighed and leaned back against his chest, turning her head for a quick kiss before settling her gaze on the little girl looking through the dress racks. She noticed Parker running up to Hayley to tell her something.

_He's probably describing his new suit to her_, Temperance thought wryly.

"How's it going?" his voice cut through her thoughts.

She sighed again. "Slow. Hayley has found a dress she likes, but I suggested she look for another one just in case. And Angela took Katie to another store to find a dress because she couldn't find one here."

"I know. We saw her through the store front, and Jack went to join her," he replied. "Why don't you go find yourself a dress, and I'll finish with the girls?" he suggested, rubbing her neck slightly to ease some of the tension.

"I have a dress," Temperance pointed out. "In fact, I have several dresses that are appropriate for a funeral."

"Temperance," he turned her around so she was facing him. Cupping his hand under her chin, he tilted her face so she was looking at him. "This isn't just any funeral; this is your father's and brother's funeral. Go buy yourself a new outfit."

"What about the girls' dresses? Angela's supposed to call me when she and Katie find one so I can go pay for it, and-" He kissed her hard to stop her rambling.

"These girls are my responsibility, too; I don't want you to forget that. I think I can manage some new clothing for them. I'll call Angela to let her know that she's to call me instead of you when she finds something, OK?" His arms wrapped around her waist as she nodded in defeat.

"OK," she agreed with a wan smile. She kissed him gently.

"I love you," he murmured into her mouth. She smiled in wry amusement.

"You enjoy saying that, don't you?" she asked, pulling away from the kiss.

He nodded seriously. "Absolutely. And just to warn you," he bent down close and whispered conspiratorially, "I'm never going to get tired of saying it."

"Good," she smiled, then turned sober. "I wish…" She looked down.

He nodded, pulling her close. "I know. But you're a smart person, Temperance. You'll figure it out," he assured her. "I can wait. Forever, if that's what it takes."

She fought the tears that were threatening to spill out. "Angela's right; you deserve so much better."

His look turned angry. "When did she say that to you?" he demanded.

"This morning when I was getting changed. When I told her I hadn't said 'I love you' yet, she said that you deserve better." She sighed, looking down.

"I'm sure she meant the situation, not you. Temperance, I want you to listen to me." She glanced up, blue eyes meeting brown. "There is _nothing_ better than you. Nothing."

She smiled brightly. "That's a sentiment I can honestly say I reciprocate," she replied, leaning in for another kiss.

He reluctantly released her. "Go buy your dress. What do you say we meet at the food court for a snack? Say, in an hour?"

"An hour," she agreed, nodding.

Parker, who had since come back to stand with his father and was getting bored, piped up, "Dr. Tempe-Bones, can I go with you?"

She glanced down at the little boy and smiled, holding out her hand. "Sure," she replied.

Booth bent down to his son to give him a hug. "I love you, Bub," he said. "Be good for Temperance, OK?"

The boy nodded. "OK, Daddy."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Forty-five minutes later, Temperance and Parker were sitting in the food court, eating bowls of Cold Stone while they waited for the others. Well, Parker was eating a bowl of Cold Stone. Temperance had a latte from Starbucks and was sneaking bites of Parker's ice cream.

"So, Parker," Temperance began, glad for the time to get to know the boy better. "What kinds of things do you like to do? Your daddy told me you were into sports."

The boy nodded, digging into his bowl with relish. "Yeah. I'm in soccer and t-ball," he replied. "But not right now. It's too cold outside." As if to illustrate, he shuddered slightly.

Temperance looked alarmed. "Are you cold?" she asked, rooting through their pile of stuff to find his jacket, but Parker shook his head.

"No, I just had a shiver. Sometimes that happens when I think about something cold." He took another bite of his ice cream, looking at Temperance quizzically. "Dr. Tempe-Bones, are you gonna marry my daddy?"

"I don't know, Parker. It's kind of…complicated," she answered lamely.

"What's that mean?" the child asked.

"It means that there's a lot of stuff to think about," she explained.

"But my daddy loves you," Parker pointed out.

Temperance's eyes filled with tears. "I know," she replied, her voice thick.

"And you love him, don't you?" the boy continued. Tempe looked at the boy awkwardly.

"I don't know," she repeated.

"You do," he decided. "I was awake last night when Daddy was yelling at you. I heard him leave. Then I heard you crying because he left. That's what you told Miss Angie when she came over. I wanted to come in your room for a hug. Hugs always make me feel better when I'm sad, but I didn't want you mad at me because I wasn't sleeping like Hayley and Katie."

Temperance ran her hand through Parker's hair, ruffling it slightly. "I wouldn't have been mad at you, Parker. A hug would have been a really good thing right then. Next time you think I'm sad, just go ahead and give me one, OK?"

"OK!" he agreed, then looked away, his face lighting up when he noticed something. "Hey, there's Miss Angie and Dr. Jack!" he announced, pointing.

Temperance had noticed her friends when they entered the food court and stood in line at Cold Stone. She also noticed Seeley and the girls getting in line at the French bakery, La Patisserie. _Why is he taking the girls there?_ she wondered idly.

"Hi, Dr. Jack! Hi, Miss Angie!" Parker's excited voice brought her back from her musing.

"Hey there, Parker," Jack replied, taking a seat next to the tyke as he set the bags he was carrying on the chair already loaded down with bags and coats from Temperance and Parker. Tempe looked in wry amusement at the tray in front of Hodgins.

"Hungry, Jack?" she asked, nodding to the tray that was laden down with four waffle-bowls of ice cream and mix-ins.

Angela laughed. "We've decided Jack's pregnant," she announced, patting his belly.

The entomologist looked on in mock indignation, placing one of the bowls in front of himself, another one in front of Angela, and the other two in front of empty chairs. "I'll have you know that Booth called me and asked to get ice cream for the girls while he bought something at the bakery," he announced, waving his hand in the general vicinity of La Patisserie.

Booth was actually no longer at the bakery; he was making his way toward their table, performing quite the balancing act. He had Hayley sitting on his shoulders, Katie grasping his left hand, which also happened to be laden down with at least three shopping bags, and a tray filled with _something_ from the bakery in his right.

When he set the tray in front of her, she realized he had bought her half a dozen of her favorite chocolate croissants. He released Katie's hand, allowing her to sit next to Angela, where her ice cream had been placed. Then he dropped the bags into their already-enormous pile and lifted Hayley off his shoulders and setting her in her seat before taking the chair next to Temperance.

"You bought me croissants?" she asked delightedly, then looked concerned. "How in the world do you expect me to eat all those?"

He flashed his world-famous charm smile and leaned over, whispering, "I'm more than happy to help you work off the calories," before planting a chaste kiss on her lips and snagging one of the pastries.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Temperance stretched, popping a few of the vertebrae in her spine. She and Seeley had asked Jack and Angela to take the kids for the night so they could get the Christmas presents wrapped and hidden without the kids seeing. Angela had good-naturedly reminded Temperance that this was the _second_ night in a row she was left watching her kids, and had extracted a promise to return the favor someday.

"How long have we been doing this?" she asked, rotating her neck to get some of the kinks out.

Seeley stood up to sit behind her on the couch. Rubbing her neck muscles, he glanced at the clock. "About two hours, I'd guess," he replied. "We should be almost done, Bones."

Temperance nodded. "We are. We have all the kids' presents finished; I just wrapped the last one." She held up the wrapped and labeled package for emphasis. "We just have to get the presents for our co-workers wrapped and we'll be finished."

"Can we do those tomorrow?" he asked seductively, dipping his head to her neck and sucking gently.

She shook her head. "We have the funerals tomorrow morning, remember? And the interments are scheduled for after lunch. We decided to keep Friday simple, with just the five of us at home, for the girls' sakes; Saturday we said we'd take the kids ice skating since they've been asking us for a week now. Sunday, you and the kids have Mass in the morning; Angela, Cam, and I have a lunch date; and we have the party at Hodgins' that night for us to exchange presents. And Monday is Christmas."

He settled next to her and pulled over Zack's CD's that Parker had gotten him. "Do you ever get tired spouting off lists like that?" he asked wryly.

"No, why?" she looked at him quizzically.

He regarded her then shook off the thought. "Never mind. No reason."

"OK," she said doubtfully, eyeing him.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Finally!" Booth wrote the last name down on the last package wrapped and pushed it away, sighing. He glanced over at Temperance lecherously. "What do you say we leave this mess for tomorrow morning before we leave for the funeral and head to bed now?"

She laughed and stood up, heading to the bedroom. "Since you asked so nicely…" she began, peeling off her shirt and tossing it to him, "I'll meet you there."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: And this one's a little shorter, too. My stupid computer was having problems all day, so I finally took the cue to cut my losses and run with what I had. There'll be more tomorrow, though.


	12. Funeral Day

TrueRomantic: I didn't get your review for chapter 10 until late in the day, when I had just about given up on my computer. At that point, I had emailed myself whatever I had written and was prepared to just submit the chapter as-is when I got home, which is exactly what I did. I didn't think it would be realistic for Tempe to suddenly blurt out "I love you" to Booth, especially when she had just gotten finished telling him she didn't. Maybe I deserved the tongue stick-out with the way I left chapter 9, but it was just too tempting a scenario to pass up. Greatish? Hmmm…I think I may have to alert Webster that there's a new word out there. LOL, just kidding.

Ataralasse: If a story isn't complete without a smidgeon of angst, mine must be coming along nicely: three dead people; two broken-hearted little girls; a man in love with a woman who isn't sure she loves him back; a serial killer (and, just so you're aware, probably another one coming up in later chapters); etc, etc, etc. And the plot goes on…

Jessabelle87: It _can_ be really hard to say those three little words. They really do change your life. I have said them before, I am ashamed to say, but I was young and stupid and we were engaged and at the time I thought it was true. Anyhow, now, _many_ years later, he and I are still great friends. He's actually engaged again, though I don't know her quite as well as I'd like to…I just want to make sure he's not making another mistake. Anyhow, back to your reviews…How do I keep them so good? Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with love…Just kidding. Actually, I've got a pretty vivid imagination, so I just imagine something happening on the show and incorporate it into my story.

BonesDBchippie: Your reviews always make me laugh. It's nice to see your work through someone else's eyes once in awhile. Actually, I thought his little rant was deserved, too. I would say poor Bones, but I think she can handle him. And I agree, when it comes to things of the heart, she is just a _tiny_ bit blind. I don't know that she quite sees it as making a life with someone. At least, not yet. She probably sees it as banding together to help the kids through a rough patch. Since she doesn't seem like the type to think of the long run, I doubt she's looking ahead to what will happen with her and Booth once the grieving period is over.

Jaed621: I'm actually trying to incorporate that: balancing the sadness of losing her family out with the wonder of a new relationship with her partner, and a ready-made family in the deal. The only weird thing is Jack and Angela. I can totally see Temperance and Angela as sister figures to one another. But with their recent burial, I can also see Jack and Temperance as brother and sister figures to one another. Either way, it still makes them aunt and uncle to the kids; it's just a little creepy. Hmmm…maybe if I bring back…Anyway, on to another chapter.

AsaneismRnuTs: I'm glad your presentation went so well. I remember quite a few in my time at college, although I was an undergrad, not an MA. Anyway, I can completely see Parker as a cutie pie on the show, which is why I write him like that. I wish they'd bring him out more; he would be such a great character. And no, I like happy endings as much as the next person. I could never be cruel enough to keep them apart for more than a chapter, unless it added something substantial to the plotline, and in this case, I don't think it would do anything other than make Tempe build up higher walls around herself. And since I've had Booth working _so_ hard to crumble them down, I wouldn't put the poor man through the torture of having to do it all over again.

BubbleSheep: My computer at work does that. Although, it does give me a warning that it's shutting off: a whole ten minutes' worth, which is usually just enough time to finish the train of thought I've been working on; make sure I've got enough work handed out to my agents; and close out of any crash-susceptible applications. I guess I should be thankful for small miracles. Yeah, that line of Angela's made me giggle, too.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

December 21, 2006

Temperance awoke the next morning sated and relaxed, remembering the long night of lovemaking she had just experienced. She sighed and instinctively snuggled closer to Booth, wrapping his arms tighter around her middle. That's when she remembered: _the funeral is today_, and a wave of grief washed over her. Since she found out about her father and brother and Amy four days before, she hadn't had a chance to really let herself _grieve_; she'd been too busy being there for the girls while they dealt with their feelings.

She was fighting off the tears when she felt his arms tightening around her and his mouth grazing across her neck, jaw, cheek, and ear. Finally, he whispered something to her.

"It's OK to grieve for them, Temperance. I know you think it's not because they made a habit of leaving you, but this is your father and brother. Let yourself grieve today; it'll be better for you in the long run. And no matter what," he pulled her even closer, "remember that there are people here who love you unconditionally. People who will always be there for you. Katie, Hayley, Parker, and I love you. We always will."

She turned in his embrace and buried her face in his chest, sobbing gently. He held her, gently stroking her back, until her sobs subsided and she reached up and kissed him softly. "Thank you," she murmured quietly. She glanced at the clock. 7:06. "Come on, we really need to get up; the funeral is in less than three hours, and Jack and Angela are supposed to be here in an hour with the kids."

"Then what do you say we save time and take a shower together?" he asked, eyebrows raised suggestively.

She nodded, smiling through her tears. "You read my mind," she mumbled.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Temperance was dressed in her bathrobe and was just finishing the cleanup in the living room when she heard a knock. She stashed the scraps of wrapping paper she was holding in the trash and went to let in Angela, Hodgins, and the kids.

"Hi, Tempe!" Hayley and Katie shouted together, as they threw their arms around her waist.

"Hi, girls," Temperance hugged them back. "Did you have fun with Jack and Angela?"

"Uh-huh. We played board games and Go-Fish and Old Maid. And Dr. Jack taught us about War," Katie responded, chattering away.

Temperance glanced at Jack sharply. "You taught my children about war?" she asked disapprovingly.

Jack laughed. "It's a card game, Temperance. Relax." He chucked her on the shoulder and headed further into the apartment.

Temperance sent the kids in to get in the bath she had already drawn for them before glancing over at Angela, who was grinning delightedly, and Booth, who had a strange look on his face. "What?" she finally asked, glancing around.

"You called Katie and Hayley 'my children'," Booth responded thickly.

She looked confused. "I did not-" A look of understanding crossed her face as she remembered. "I did." The other three all nodded. "I didn't even think about it; it just…came out." She looked slightly panicked, so Booth came up and wrapped his arms around her.

"Remember," he whispered to her once more. "We all love you, and we're here for you." She nodded as she sighed and headed to dress.

She peeked in on the kids, who were in the bathtub in her bathroom. They were playing and splashing, so she left the door ajar and headed to her closet. She pulled out the dress she had bought yesterday. Actually, Parker had picked it out for her by saying that he liked the way the material shined.

If Temperance were honest with herself, she would say that the forties look of the dress was exactly her style. The dress was black silk with the bodice crossing over itself and ending at the empire waistline. The skirt skimmed over her slim waist before flaring into an A-line around her hips and ending just below her knees.

She finished dressing by pulling on a pair of nylons and slipping her feet into the black flats she had bought and turning to her jewelry. Deciding to forgo the usual chunky necklace, she reached for the silver chain with the teardrop pearl pendant and matching earrings. They had been a present from her parents for her fifteenth birthday; in fact, were the last gift she had gotten from them. She rarely wore the set – it really wasn't her style – but it seemed oddly fitting today.

_After all_, she thought to herself, _pearls are for tears, and I'm sure I'll have a few of those today_.

She headed down to the kids' room to get the garment bags with their outfits in them, then brought them back to her room. Starting with Parker, she pulled the kids out one at a time and helped them into their new clothes.

Parker's suit was a miniature version of one of his father's work suits: black slacks, jacket, and tie with a white button-down shirt. A pair of dark socks and black shoes completed the ensemble.

Hayley came next, and the black dress with embroidered pink flowers had evidently won out, Temperance noted as she pulled the dress out of the garment bag. A pair of pink tights and black Mary Janes were included, as was a black headband with pink flowers.

Finally, Katie left the bath, pulling the plug carefully as she did so. Her dress consisted of a black velvet bodice and a shimmery, gray tulle skirt with a satin underlay. White tights, white-and-black Mary Janes, and two gray bows completed her outfit.

"How do you want your hair, Katie?" Temperance asked, brushing and blow-drying the long, dark-brown locks.

"Braids," the girl announced from underneath the mass of hair.

Temperance thought about it for a moment. "It's been a really long time since I did a braid, but I'm sure I can manage." She shut off the hair dryer and ran the brush through a few more times before plaiting.

Ten minutes later, the hair was braided to both their satisfactions, and Temperance grabbed Katie's hand, heading out to the living room.

"I think we're ready," she stated, looking at the group of people in front of her. "Let's go." She squeezed Katie's hand, the girl smiling wanly up at her as they grabbed their coats and left the apartment.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I will now turn the service over to Dr. Temperance Brennan, who is the daughter of Matthew Brennan and the sister of Russell Brennan," Father McCullum announced from his podium, after he had delivered his message.

Temperance took a deep breath and stood up, walking slowly to the podium. Once there, she looked out over the sea of faces and wavered, tears glistening in her eyes. Even though she and the girls were the only surviving relatives of Max, Russ, and Amy, all three evidently had a plethora of friends who wished to pay their final respects. The first ten pews in both rows of the cathedral's sanctuary were completely filled, and there were quite a few stragglers further back.

She took another breath and began her speech. "First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to be here today. You have no idea what it…what it means to me and Katie and Hayley Smithson," she said shakily, gesturing to the two little girls sitting with Booth and Parker in the first pew.

"Several of you I remember from my childhood; you were friends of my parents', or perhaps school friends of Russ's. Michigan is a very long way to travel from for the funeral of people you haven't seen in over fifteen years, and I especially want to thank each of you for making the trip. My father…" she paused as she fought the tears threatening to spill. "My father…" she tried again, unsuccessfully. The tears came out despite her best efforts and she began crying.

Vaguely aware of movement to her right, and of Booth whispering, she turned to see Parker standing next to her, holding out his arms. She knelt down, and the boy walked into her embrace, his arms wrapping around her neck. She stood, lifting him up, sobbing as she held him tight.

"It's OK, Tempe. I still love you," Parker whispered into her ear. The voice was so like Booth's that she cried harder, pulling the little boy tighter.

Finally, she was able to contain herself enough to stem the flow of tears and glance at the first pew. Booth was looking at her, concern and love written clearly on his face. She nodded, assuring him she was alright and turned to the girls. Both were crying, tears streaking down their cheeks, and it tore at Temperance's heart, knowing it was _her_ fault for making them cry.

She settled Parker on her hip and dried her tears with her free hand, laughing nervously. "I'm sorry; please forgive the outburst," she stated professionally, then continued her speech. "My father – most of you knew him as Matthew Brennan, but I'm sure a few of you knew him as Max Keenan – was a complex man. I grew up thinking I was the luckiest girl in the world, because I thought my father could do anything. It's only recently I realized that that wasn't entirely true.

"He had his weaknesses, just like any other man. His weren't drink or gambling or women. My father's weaknesses were three people: my mother, Christine Brennan; myself; and my brother Russell. Unfortunately, in order to protect me and Russ, he had to make himself and my mother disappear. And in the long run, I was the only one left standing.

"Many people call it a _game_ he was playing to see if he could one-up his opponent. I speak for myself and Katie and Hayley Smithson when I say that this doesn't feel like any game to us. My father – as mixed up as he might seem to people sometimes – was a good man with his priorities in order. All he wanted was to keep his family safe. And he did that by sacrificing his own life.

"Russ inherited that from my father; the drive and the desire to protect his family. He thought of those two little girls over there as his own daughters. He loved them. He loved their mother. They were his weaknesses, just as he and I were our father's. And he died trying to protect them, just as my father died trying to protect me." She stepped away from the podium and headed back to the pew, settling Parker on her lap as she took one more deep breath and gave a watery smile to Booth.

Booth, Hodgins, and Angela each took a turn speaking at the podium, as did several others. Each offered their memories of the deceased: some were cute, others were funny, and still others were sad; but all made everyone smile and nod in agreement over a particular event or thought.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"This had to have been the single worst day of my life," Temperance murmured that night, as she and Seeley lay in their bed.

"I was so proud of you when you made your speech," Seeley replied. "I know it was hard for you – I also know it was hard on the girls to hear – but I'm proud of you for looking at your father's actions through _his_ eyes and not your own." He leaned over to give her a kiss goodnight, but she deepened it.

"Are you sure that this is what you want?" Booth asked against her mouth, after she had maneuvered herself underneath him.

She nodded. "I don't want to wake up tomorrow with memories of sadness. Please Booth; I need you," she grinned, reminding him of her explanation at his apartment.

He ran his hands over backside, stopping to lightly cup the curve of her buttock. "Far be it for me to deny you such a request," he mumbled, kissing her neck. He pulled off her tank top and threw it aside before returning to kissing her.

She wiggled out of her pajama bottoms before wrapping her legs around his middle. She nudged his pants down until he took over, kicking them off. He checked briefly to be sure she was ready for him, then sheathed himself in one smooth thrust.

He stilled for just a moment as he always did, savoring the feeling of just newly being enveloped by her, before beginning a slow rhythm.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: There's Chapter 12. Let me know what you think!


	13. Christmas Eve

TrueRomantic: I have an idea in mind for when she realizes she loves him, but it involves bringing back a character we dislike. Anyhow, that'll be later, probably after Christmas.

RosieLady: I'm flattered that my story is your favorite. It must be a testament to my imagery skills if my descriptions can actually make you _see_ what I'm describing. And Bones is a difficult character to write, so I constantly imagine what could conceivably happen on the show and if it's plausible enough, it goes in the story. It's actually pretty interesting sometimes.

Jaed621: Yay! I'm glad you caught that she was just trying to wipe out the unpleasantness of the day. I agree; I can completely imagine her trying to see things from her father's perspective if she were ever to speak at his funeral, even though she really doesn't agree with the way he goes about things.

Rockerbaby423: I understand about the computer thing; for the last several days mine has been slower than molasses in January. I think it's finally starting to speed up again, though, which is a good thing. My grandmother died three years ago, just before Christmas. I didn't get a chance to see her before she died, so the funeral was especially hard on me. And, since it happened the final week of my fall term at college, I failed almost all my finals because I wasn't concentrating on the tests; my attention was focused back home. And I agree: funerals can definitely be the hardest days to get through.

Howdylynn: Juxtaposed, good word. As Brennan would say, Anthropologically speaking, sex and sadness tend to go hand-in-hand. People want to wipe out the horrors of their lives by transposing those feelings into sexual highs. I've heard of women who've been raped or almost raped who go home afterwards and sleep with their husbands because they just want to wipe the memory out. The same has held true for funerals, seeing someone murdered, etc. And now I'm starting to look like I'm lecturing you, and I'm really not, and I'm sorry if I came across that way to you.

A/N: There have been several people ask me why I don't make them get married and have a kid, since they love each other, and then having sex wouldn't be a sin. I'd like to remind those people that this is _Bones_ I'm writing about. She is not the slightest bit religious and doesn't think about sin when she's sleeping with someone. In fact, her motto is "sex for recreation, not procreation". She doesn't believe in marriage, doesn't want to have kids, and at this point in my story, doesn't think she knows how to love someone. That doesn't mean it won't happen in the future, but it's not going to happen overnight.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

December 24, 2006

"Booth, have you heard from Rebecca recently?" Temperance asked three days later, as she poured a glass of orange juice for Parker. The last couple days, they had stayed at home; watched a couple movies; played card games, Clue, and Memory. And amazingly had had to deal with only one incident involving the girls and the funeral: Hayley had had a nightmare on Thursday night, and Temperance had taken her into the living room and sat talking with her until she fell asleep again, at which point she had taken the girl back to her bed and headed back to her room.

Booth thought about it for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "Not since she called me last Saturday," he replied.

Temperance thought about it for a moment. A woman that doesn't call to check up on her child in more than a week? "Maybe you better call her before you go to Mass," she suggested.

He regarded her, then nodded slowly. "OK, I'll call. I should find out how her grandmother's doing, anyhow."

"Don't sound too exited about it, Seeley," Tempe responded wryly, as he laughed nervously. Once he had gone back into the bedroom, she turned her attention to the kids. "OK, we should get you guys ready for church. Why don't we go see what we have for you to wear?"

Twenty minutes later, she had all three kids dressed in their Sunday best and heading out to the living room. Booth was there, waiting for the kids, with a strange look on his face. He pulled her aside and said, "Rebecca isn't answering her phone. It's a little odd, considering it's Christmas Eve and I have Parker, but maybe she's at the hospital. I'll call back after Mass." She nodded in agreement as she handed the kids their coats.

"Will you be OK here by yourself?" Booth asked worriedly.

Temperance rolled her eyes and nodded. "I'll be fine, Booth. I'll stay here and write until my lunch with Angela and Cam. We'll be at Wong Foo's, by the way," she replied.

Booth nodded and leaned in for a kiss. "Lock the door. I love you." He kissed her once more before she hugged each of the kids and shut the door after them.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"How are things going with the kids?" Cam asked later that day as she, Angela, and Temperance were sitting at Wong Foo's.

Temperance nodded. "Good, I think. Or at least, as good as can be expected, under the circumstances," she replied, once she had swallowed her mouthful of Orange Chicken. "I know you and Andrew were going to New York for the New Year; when are you leaving?"

"Tonight," Cam informed them. "We'll be heading to Dulles from the party at Hodgins'. Speaking of which, what time did you want us there tonight, Angela?"

"Oh, 5 or 6," the artist replied. "Jack and I aren't really planning anything fancy. It'll just be me and him, you and Andrew, Zack and his new girlfriend, Booth and Brennan, and their kids. Dinner will be at 6:30, so just be there by then, and we're planning on dessert while we open presents, around 8 or so."

"Our flight leaves at 11, so that should work out well. Dr. Brennan, do you and Agent Booth have any special plans tonight after the party?"

Temperance set down her iced tea and thought for a moment, shaking her head. "Booth and I really haven't spoken about it. I had assumed we would put the kids to bed, bring out the presents, and set up the stockings before we go to bed ourselves. Isn't that how it usually works?" The scientist looked from one to the other curiously.

"Sweetie, what about traditions?" Angela asked, eyebrows raised.

"Traditions?" Temperance asked blankly. "What traditions? I thought the whole Santa thing _was_ the tradition."

"Oh, come on, Dr. Brennan," Cam chastised. "Every family has Christmas traditions that are uniquely theirs. It's what makes Christmas special. In my family, we would go ice skating at Rockefeller Center, then we'd head over to Broadway and go caroling down the street, and we'd finish our excursion by grabbing a cab and going to take a visitor's tour through Manhattan, looking at all the Christmas lights and seeing all the people."

"In my family," Angela began, eyes dancing, "we'd go hiking. My dad had this thing about Santa being the one to decorate the tree, so we'd go out and cut down our tree on Christmas Eve. Then we'd put the tree on the back porch, where it would be easy for Santa to find, and we'd go sledding. There was this giant hill that ended practically in our backyard, that was just perfect for sledding. It was _so_ cold, but it was perfect; just perfect. Then we'd go inside, Dad would build a fire, and we'd roast chestnuts and pop corn and play games until 11:30, when Mom and Dad made us go to bed."

"What about you, Dr. Brennan?" Cam asked. "What special things did your family do on Christmas Eve?"

"When I was younger, Russ and I would go skiing," Temperance answered, remembering. "Dad would take us. There aren't a whole lot of mountains in Michigan, but we lived on the Upper Peninsula, so we always got a lot of snow. We'd go up to the hills and ski and snowboard, then we'd come home, and Mom always had hot chocolate and fresh cookies waiting to warm us up. We'd eat lunch, then we'd take turns reading _A Christmas _Carol. It was my mother's favorite book. After dinner, we'd drink eggnog and eat a Buche de Noel that my mother and I made, and we'd each open one present. Mine was usually a book I had been asking for." Temperance's look turned nostalgic, remembering.

"Sweetie, we're sorry," Angela apologized. "We didn't mean to upset you."

Temperance shook her head, reassuring her friend. "It's fine, Ange. I'm fine."

"I know you can't exactly go skiing or snowboarding," Cam stated, thinking about Tempe's holiday memories. "But there are some of your family traditions you can carry over with the kids. I'm sure the girls would love to do some of the things you and Russ did when you were kids. And you can always combine some of their family traditions, and Seeley's as well, to make your own family holiday rituals."

Temperance smiled. "That's a good idea. I'll talk with Booth when he and the kids get back from church."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Tempe, why does this cake look like a piece of wood?" Katie asked later, while she and the girls and Parker were in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on their Yule Log.

"It's a tradition in my family," Temperance explained. "When Russ and I were growing up, my mother and I would make this cake. It's called a Buche de Noel; a Yule Log. It's rolled up and frosted to look like a log at Christmastime. And see?" She sifted powdered sugar on top of the log. "It even has snow."

"Are we gonna eat it, Dr. Tempe-Bones?" Parker asked, staring at the cake hungrily.

"We're taking it over to Dr. Hodgins' house for the party," she replied. "We'll eat it there."

"Speaking of which," Booth entered the kitchen, "You should all go get ready for it. We're leaving in half an hour. I want you all out of your church clothes and into jeans and sweaters; it's cold, and it just started snowing again."

The kids all hustled back to their bedroom, and Booth turned to Temperance. "OK, why are we providing the dessert for Hodgins' party?" Booth asked suspiciously.

"We aren't providing the dessert. Hodgins will still have his originally-planned dessert; the Yule Log is just extra." At his look, she explained. "Angela, Cam, and I were talking about Christmas Eve traditions today. When I mentioned a few of mine, Cam suggested I combine them with a few of the girls' and a few of yours so we can create our own Christmas memories. One of those memories was a Buche de Noel."

Booth leaned over and kissed her. "What was that for?" she asked, confused.

"I know this isn't easy for you. Raising kids; having a relationship; I know it's all knew to you, and you've taken to it so easily. You don't know how proud I am of you." He kissed her gently one more time and released her. "You should go get changed," he suggested.

"Why? What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" she inquired, glancing down at her slacks and blouse.

"You were talking about Christmas Eve traditions today, right?" She nodded slowly. "One of my family's traditions was family photos in front of our Christmas tree, with everyone wearing jeans and a sweater. Come on; let's go find something in that closet of yours." He pulled her toward the back hall.

"Why do I always feel like you're abducting me?" she mentioned rhetorically.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"OK, I have to admit; you were right about the pictures. They turned out great," Temperance conceded as they waited on Hodgins' doorstep for him to answer. They had taken three photos: one of all five of them in front of the Christmas tree; one with just the three kids in front of the fireplace; and one of Temperance and Seeley, also in front of the fireplace.

He was about to remark when the door swung open and Angela ushered them inside. She led them into the library, where they found they were the last to arrive, and offered them eggnog – spiked for the adults. Everyone agreed except Temperance, who opted for regular eggnog, just in case.

At 6:30, the cook and her aide set up a table by the fire for dinner, which was apparently fondue. The group gathered around the various pieces of furniture and talked and ate, while the kids eyed the cake on the table and the presents under the tree. Finally, dinner was completed, the Yule Log was served – as were the various cakes, cookies, and brownies to be dipped in the chocolate fondue – and the group gathered around the Christmas tree.

They took turns passing out their gifts; Cam and Andrew handing theirs out first. The kids received a collection of DVD's: "Robin Hood", "Fox and the Hound", "Ice Princess", and "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey". Zack received a series of guides on courtroom etiquette; Jack and Angela received a selection of loose leaf teas, teapots, and teacups and saucers; and Temperance and Seeley's gift was a collection of Jazz and Rock CD's.

"Ice skates?" Angela squealed when she opened Katie's gift. "That's so great; I've wanted to learn _forever_." She pulled out the business card and looked at it quizzically before glancing at Katie and Temperance.

"It's the name of a woman I know who is an amazing instructor," Tempe explained. "She knows to expect a call from you. Your first five lessons are taken care of."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Did you kids have fun tonight?" Temperance asked as they entered her apartment later that night.

"Yeah!" all three shouted together.

"Good. Why don't you go put your stuff away and you can come out here and we can each open one more present tonight," she suggested.

The kids ran to do as she requested, and Seeley pulled her into a kiss. "I have been wanting to do that all evening," he murmured huskily, kissing her once again.

"Did you get a hold of Rebecca today?" Temperance inquired once they had separated again.

Booth shook his head. "No. I called her again in the car on the way to church, then in the bedroom when I was changing for the party. No answer either time. I'm really starting to get worried."

Temperance thought about it for a moment. "Do you have her mother's number?" she asked doubtfully. To her surprise, Booth nodded.

"I made her give it to me a couple years ago when she took Parker to visit her," he replied. "I'll call after the kids go to bed; it'll still be early enough."

The kids came running back into the room, eager to open another present. Seeley reached under the tree, where a few presents had been stashed. He pulled out one for each of the kids and one for Temperance, but let Tempe pick out the gift she wanted him to open. She selected one, and this time Hayley led the gift-opening. She received an "Ariel" doll; Katie received the _Anne of Green Gables_ series; and Parker received a Tonka truck.

Temperance looked at Seeley, gesturing for him to open his first, but he shook his head. Finally they compromised and opened them together. They ripped open the paper, then sat staring at their presents for a full minute before bursting out laughing. Seeley's gift to Temperance was a 5x8 framed print of the photo the kids took with Santa. Temperance's gift to Seeley was the same photo in a 4x6 size, book framed with a copy of a photo Katie had snapped of the two of them a few days before.

"This is great," Seeley whispered, reaching over for a kiss. "Thank you."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I'm sorry to hear that. No, that's fine; just tell her to take all the time she needs and to call me if she thinks she'll be there longer than she had anticipated." Booth said into the phone half an hour later. He and Temperance were sitting on their bed, stuffing the kids' stockings, while he spoke to Rebecca's mother. They had already pulled all the presents out and placed them under the tree.

"Yes, thank you very much. No, I'll have Parker call you tomorrow to say Merry Christmas; he's sleeping at the moment. Good bye." He hung up the phone and tossed it on the bed in front of him, sighing. "Rebecca's grandmother took a turn for the worst yesterday, and Rebecca's been at the hospital nonstop since then. Her mother will send her home tomorrow for Parker's call."

"Well, at least she's OK, although personally I think she could have at least _called_ you so you wouldn't worry when she didn't answer her phone," Temperance remarked.

Booth wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her as close as the mess of candy and toys around them would allow. "She doesn't think about little things like that, Temperance; she's not a scientist like _some_ people I might mention," he joked, nudging her side.

Temperance looked at him sadly. "Perhaps not, but she _is_ a mother, and they deal with details, too." She picked up the three stockings and headed out to the living room. Once there, she hung up the kids' stockings, then pulled Seeley's out from the hall closet and quickly filled it with the stuffers she had stashed in a hidden cabinet in the kitchen before heading back to the bedroom. She walked in just as Seeley stashed something behind his back and edged his way out of the bedroom and out to the living room.

She pulled down the bedcovers and climbed between the sheets, snuggling instinctively over to Booth's side of the bed. A few minutes later, he entered the room, shut the door behind him, and crawled in behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle. "I love you," he whispered as she drifted off to sleep.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: OK, I know this one took me _forever_ to get out, but it's been a really hectic week. I've been really busy at work, and working overtime at that, and a freak snowstorm has crippled the entire metro area.


	14. Christmas Day

BubbleSheep: Yeah, that's kind of the idea. A little message box will pop up and say it's shutting down the computer in ten minutes, then start counting backwards.

BonesDBchippie: A tissue warning, huh? Apparently, I went from comedy to tragedy in less than ten chapters. Kind of reminds me of yet another line from Steel Magnolias: "Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion." I know so many lines from that movie.

Wolfmyjic: Your reviews always make me smile. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much.

NakedQuidditchFan: Yeah, it's been a pretty nasty week for me, too: seventeen hour work days, freak snowstorms, transportation problems, and two-hour-each-way commutes are just a few of my problems. After all that, I needed a real pick-me-up with my story, which is why I put more fluff in this chapter.

Friendsidol5: I'm glad you like the story so much. And yes, the line about him abducting her was intentionally stolen from "Judas on a Pole".

Jaed621: I love the scientific Temperance; don't get me wrong. I just love the idea that she would fit so perfectly into a wife/mother roll without even realizing she's doing it. About the someone we don't like: keep reading; it'll happen in the next chapter or two.

Rockerbaby423: Yeah, I can't imagine how hard _that_ was. I'm sorry.

Bella-mi-amore: Thanks for your support; I really think it would be very OOC for Temperance to jump into an engagement this early in her relationship.

A/N: In response to a request from BonesDBchippie, I'm putting in a "Tissue Warning" for this chapter. I totally cried while writing one of the scenes.

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December 25, 2006

Temperance awoke the next morning to a 60-pound mass landing on her sternum. "Oof!" she huffed, doubling over. Vaguely, she realized the same thing was happening to Booth. Peeking out through lidded eyes, she saw Hayley jumping on her midsection and noticed Parker in between her and Booth, staring at her. Turning over painfully, she saw Katie on top of Seeley.

"Come on, Tempe, wake up! It's Christmas!" Hayley announced, nudging her out of her sleep. "Agent Seeley, it's Christmas!"

"Dr. Tempe-Bones, Santa came! Come on, let's go! Daddy, wake up!" Parker chimed, tugging on their arms.

Sleepily, Temperance sat up and rubbed her eyes before glancing at the clock. "Guys, it's five-thirty in the morning," she grumbled. "I'm all for waking up early, but isn't this a little much?"

She heard Booth chuckling as he sat up and yawned. "Welcome to Christmas through a child's eyes, Bones," he greeted, leaning over. "Merry Christmas, Honey." He kissed her briefly before turning his attention to the kids. "Merry Christmas, guys!" he shouted, tickling Katie.

"Merry Christmas," Temperance chimed in, standing up throwing on her bathrobe, cinching the belt around the waist, before she picked up Hayley and settled her on her hip. "Come on, Sweetheart. Let's go get your medicine. We'll meet the rest of you in the living room."

Booth nodded and herded Parker and Katie out the bedroom door, snagging his bathrobe on the way out. Tempe took Hayley into the spare bathroom and grabbed the medicine bottle off the top shelf of the cabinet. She shook the pill out of the bottle and handed it to Hayley before filling a glass with water and holding it while she took a few sips. Once they were done, she rinsed out the glass and replaced the bottle in the cabinet, grabbed Hayley's hand and followed the aroma of brewed coffee.

"You're a lifesaver, Booth," she murmured a few moments later, taking the steaming mug from him and trading him a kiss. "And I don't just mean because you carry three guns wherever you go, either," she kidded, eyes twinkling.

"Come on, Bones," he grinned, stealing another kiss. "The kids want to open their presents." He pulled her toward the sofa and settled himself next to her. He indicated to Katie that she was to be the first to "play Santa". She did so, and the family dug into their presents.

An hour and a half later, amid a ton of opened gifts and ripped paper, the family looked at the five remaining presents under the tree. Two were very small, one was a little bigger, and the last two were huge. Temperance knelt under the tree and pulled out one of the small packages and handed it to Katie, while Seeley grabbed Parker and Hayley by the hands and placed each one in front of the larger presents. The kids dug into their "big" presents and gasped.

Parker received a bike with training wheels; his first "big kid" bike. It was completely red with an adjustable seat that would extend as he grew. It came with a red-and-white helmet and red elbow and knee pads.

Hayley's present was an elaborate pink-and-white dollhouse. It was entirely furnished and came with a family of dolls; working lights; and sound effects such as a doorbell, sizzling in the kitchen, water running in the bathroom, and a dog barking.

Katie, however, couldn't speak when she opened her package. It was a short, square jewelry box. When she opened the box, a delicate gold chain was nestled inside; the pendant a gold filigree sphere surrounding a freshwater pearl. Temperance came up to sit next to the girl and explain the gift when she saw Katie's face.

"My mother gave this necklace to me when I was just your age, Katie," she began, stroking the girl's hair. "Her mother gave it to her, and hers before that. Every piece here is a symbol for something. The pearl is to signify life's tears; every life has them. The gold sphere is the love that encapsulates those tears. And the chain represents the ties you have to your loved ones.

"My mother left when I was a teenager; I think you knew that." At the girl's nod, she continued. "For the entire year after she left, I wore that necklace every day and cried for losing her. And every day, my foster mother asked why I would cry over an event I couldn't change. I don't want you ever to think you can't cry for your mother in front of me; don't ever think I'll think the less of you for it. I know what it's like; I've been there myself."

The girl buried her face in Temperance's shoulder and sobbed. Finally, she composed herself enough to mumble, "Thank you, Tempe." She straightened up and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Will you help me put it on?" Temperance fastened the clasp around Katie's neck, and turned her around so she could see how it looked. Katie ran to see herself in the bathroom mirror and came out a moment later, smiling.

Temperance and Seeley smiled back, then Seeley remembered that he and Temperance had yet to open their final presents. He climbed under the tree and fetched the smaller of the two boxes, while Temperance got the larger. They switched packages, Seeley insisting that Temperance go first and, grinning, she pulled the paper off her box.

The box was a small jeweler's box; smaller than the one Katie's necklace had been wrapped in. Temperance knew what was inside and looked up at Booth, a mixture of fear and anger in her eyes. He smiled hesitantly as he moved closer. "I know what you're thinking, and I agree; it's too soon. Open the box and I'll explain."

She did as he requested and gasped at the brilliant diamond-and-amber five-stone ring. He pulled it out and, to her amazement, it was on a chain. "See?" he asked, holding it out in front of her. "I'm not asking you to marry me right now; I know you're not ready for that. But I saw this ring when we were at the mall the other day and knew it was perfect for you. Unique, just like you are. All I ask is that you wear the ring around your neck and think about it. And, when you're ready, just tell me and I'll be more than happy to place the ring on your finger."

She fingered the ring and the chain for a moment before dropping them both and turning away from him. He was disappointed until she lifted up her hair and waited expectantly. Delighted, he fastened the clasp and bent, kissing her neck. "I love you," he whispered against her ear.

Startled, she dropped her hair and flipped around. "Does it bother you?" she asked worriedly. "Does it bother you that I haven't…I haven't…" Her voice was muffled as he laid his mouth against hers, and eventually she stopped talking and kissed him back.

"I already told you: don't worry about it. Just the fact that you need me with you is more than enough for now. Like the ring, it'll happen when you're ready for it to happen." She gave him a watery smile and kissed him gently.

"Thank you," she murmured, before straightening up and handing him his box. "This is really for the whole family," she explained. "I'm just making it a gift to you because you mentioned you'd never gone."

Inside the box lay a pair of Mickey Mouse ears. Puzzled, he picked them up and a package fell out from underneath. He opened the package and dropped his jaw when he found five round-trip tickets to Orlando; a twelve-night stay at the Walt Disney World Resort; five five-day Park Hopper tickets; five two-day passes each to Universal Studios and Kissimmee St. Cloud; and five one-day passes to the Orlando Zoo.

"You're kidding me, right?" he asked incredulously. Grinning, she shook her head.

"Nope. Our trip is over the spring break. We'll just have to pull the kids out of school for the extra week." She laughed at his still-dumbfounded expression. "Oh, by the way," she mentioned, "when I said it was a family trip, I meant the _whole_ family; one of Jack's presents to Angela is the same thing for the two of them."

Seeley chuckled. "Then Angela's having quite the Christmas, because Hodgins also bought her quite a rock."

"He bought her a rock?" Temperance asked, confused. "Why would he do that? I mean, I know Hodgins is all about dirt and grime and rocks, but that doesn't mean that Angela is."

Booth chuckled harder. "Oh, I think Angela will appreciate _this_ kind of rock, Bones. It runs under the same category as the one you're wearing around your neck." Glancing down, she fingered the engagement ring laying there and understanding dawned on her face.

"Oh," she murmured, smiling.

"Come on, we have to get the turkey in the oven. I'll teach you how to truss a bird, then we can dig into our stockings," Booth announced, standing up and working the kinks out of his back.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later that day, Angela and Temperance were in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the meal. "So you and Jack thought of the trip together, huh?" Angela asked, glancing sideways at her friend.

Temperance shrugged. "It was the day we were all at the mall, and the guys were getting Parker's suit, and we were helping the girls with their dresses." Angela nodded, encouraging her to go on. "Hodgins called me and said he had already gotten you one present," she glanced at the diamonds glistening on Angela's hand, "and wanted another big one and several smaller ones and asked if I had any suggestions. I mentioned that I was thinking of giving Booth a trip to Disney World, and that if he wanted to get you the same thing, you'd both be welcome. So later, when Parker and I were shopping for my dress, Hodgins snuck away from you for a few minutes to meet me at the travel agent's office and book our trip."

"Well, it was a great idea," Angela squealed. "I've never been to Disney World."

Temperance smiled wryly. "Well, it was fun the last time I was there. Of course, I was thirteen at that time, but I'm sure it's only gotten better."

Temperance finished tossing the salad and Angela grabbed the rolls before they headed to the table, where Jack was supervising the set-up. He directed Katie to be careful with the china and was instructing Parker in the fine art of napkin-folding. Temperance rolled her eyes and smirked at Angela. "Hodgins, down boy! Our dinner won't be destroyed because a four-year old couldn't match corners perfectly. Relax." She placed the salad on the table then went back to the kitchen to help Booth move the turkey onto a platter.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_"Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. NO, no! We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat, white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse!"_

_"Clark, I think it's better if everybody just goes home…before things get worse."_

_"Worse? How could things get any worse? Take a look around you, Ellen. We're at the threshold of Hell!"_

_(Door Knocks)_

_"What the hell do you want?"_

_"I-I have a delivery, for Clark W. Grisw- And I should have delivered it yesterday, but it fell between the seats and I didn't see it. Sorry. Merry Christmas!"_

_"Merry Christmas."_

_"What is it, honey?"_

_"It's from my company."_

_"Your bonus."_

_"My bonus."_

"_Are you gonna fawn all over it, or are you gonna open it?"_

"_I was going to wait until tomorrow to announce this, but oh, what the hell. With this bonus check, I'm putting in a swimming pool. That's it! That's the big one!"_

_"Open it!"_

_"I'm sorry if I've seemed a little short with everybody lately. I've been waiting for this check. In order for the pool to go in as soon as the ground thaws, I had to lay out the money in advance, and until this little miracle arrived I didn't have enough in my account to cover the check I wrote. And if there's enough left over, I'll fly you all down here to help us dedicate it."_

_"I can't swim, Clark."_

_"I know that, Eddie."_

_"What is it? It's bigger than you expected? Smaller? What is it?"_

_"It's a subscription to the Jelly of the Month Club."_

_"Oh, Clark."_

_"Clark, that's the gift that keeps on giving the whole year."_

_"That it is, Edward, that it is. Hey. If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here, with a big ribbon on his head! And I want to look him straight in the eye and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit he is! Hallelujah! Holy Shit! Where's the Tylenol?"_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After their movie finished, Temperance picked up Parker and headed to the bedroom to put him in bed. Seeley did the same with Hayley, while Katie trudged after them. Booth and Tempe kissed the kids and said goodnight, then headed back out to the living room.

Temperance went to make some tea, while Booth headed to the CD changer and popped in one of the Jazz Christmas CD's they had received from Cam. As the soulful sounds of the saxophone and piano came out of the speakers, he moved up behind Temperance and wrapped his arms around her middle, swaying slightly. "Forget the tea," he requested. "Come dance with me."

Obligingly, she shut the burner off and followed him back to the living room, where he pulled her into his arms and swayed with her. "Merry Christmas, Sweetheart. I love you."

She felt the lone tear slip down her cheek and almost said the words back to him but stopped herself. He deserved more than an obligatory response; he deserved the real emotion, and never before had she wanted so strongly to be able to give it to him. _Please_, she pleaded silently, _please let me love him_. "Merry Christmas, Seeley," she whispered back instead, tilting her head for a kiss.

He gladly obliged.

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A/N: I know, I know…you all want to hear the words. Believe me, so do I. Anyhow, here's chapter 14. Hope you enjoy!


	15. Kidnapped!

Angel6 aka trinigyal: I got like 7 of your reviews all within 30 seconds of each other yesterday. I don't know if that's when you submitted them, or if the site is being slow again, so I'll just respond to the last one. I agree; they _do_ deserve to be happy together. A lot has happened just in the story so far, and it isn't over yet, as you'll see in this chapter. I'm glad you're enjoying the story; keep reading.

Rockerbaby423: I'm sorry; I had meant to put the title of the movie in the A/N at the end of the chapter. It's "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation". If you've ever seen any of Chevy Chase's "Vacation" movies, you'll want to rent this one; it's by far the funniest. It was a big toss-up for me, though, to decide on putting that movie in or choosing "A Christmas Story", which is another great Christmas classic comedy.

Snow1685: Yeah, I tried to make their "big" presents to one another a little pricier, just because this is their first Christmas together.

Ilovebuttfacedmiscreants: They didn't get engaged because she isn't ready to be married.

Jaed621: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter so much. Yeah, when I writing the chapter and started crying at the part where Tempe gives Katie the necklace, I knew I had to put in a tissue warning for you guys.

Bubble Sheep: I didn't forget about you; I just forgot to go back and add your response when I finished the chapter. He was sneaking the ring out of the room, by the way, if you hadn't already guessed. And yes, I'm going to write the Disney chapters. I'm actually thinking of taking this story through a whole year…through next Christmas. Of course, I'm hoping it won't take that long to write! ;-P

WinchesterWench: I had to wipe tears away, too, and I'm the person that wrote it!

AsaneismRnuTs: I'm glad my story is helping you get your Christmas fix prolonged a little this year. Your school break is late. I thought about making the ring a promise ring for her to wear on her finger, but that didn't seem very Temperance-like, so I opted for the ring on a chain. Yeah, I've had him up to it for a few chapters, although I deliberately made it obtuse, so I think only you and maybe one or two other readers actually caught it.

Howdylynn: The kids were watching the movie, but had fallen asleep by the end of it, which is where that scene is. I don't know if you've ever seen it, but it's not really as bad a film as the scene I chose to put in implies. And actually, that scene, when watched, is more funny than it is offensive. And as to the three gun comment: ;-P

A/N: Just as a warning, I wrote Parker slightly OOC this chapter. I maybe made him more compliant with his situation than he otherwise would have been.

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January 3, 2007

"Morning, Sweetie!" Angela breezed into Temperance's office a week and a half later. "How was your New Year?"

Temperance frowned at her screen and deleted what she had just typed. "Oh, not bad. We watched the ball drop in New York; the kids fell asleep long before midnight, so it was really just me and Booth ringing in the New Year together. We _did_ go to bed right after twelve, though."

Angela smirked. "Oh, I don't doubt you did. I would, too, with that hunky piece of yummy goodness."

"We went to _sleep_, Ange," Temperance declared, rolling her eyes.

"Sure you did," Angela winked, then straightened up when she saw Tempe's look.

"So where is the G-Man, anyway? I need to ask him a question," Angela asked, glancing around.

"He's taking the kids to school," Temperance replied, intent once again on her chapter. "I was going to do it; I figured it would be better for their first day in a new school for me to be there, but I got a call from my publisher this morning, saying she wants the new chapter by nine this morning; Booth offered to take the kids so I could get the chapter finished before deadline." She stopped typing and glanced up. "They just left right before you came barging in. If you run, you can probably still catch them," she offered, turning back to her computer.

Angela didn't need to be told twice; she dashed out of the office and had left the lab before Temperance even realized she had gone. She smiled at Zack and Hodgins when they entered her office, glancing back at Angela.

"Where's she going off to in such an all-fired hurry?" Jack asked, staring after his fiancée amusedly.

Temperance shrugged. "Something about a question she had to ask Booth."

"That's right," Jack replied, remembering. "She wanted to ask Booth if it was OK for Parker to be the ring bearer for our wedding. We were going to ask you if it was alright for the girls to be flower girls, too, but I guess that slipped her mind." He and Zack left Brennan alone to finish her chapter, and turned to the projects at their respective stations.

An hour and a half later, Temperance finished her chapter and sent it off, with a note to her publisher that there would only be two more chapters in this book, and that she would have those ready the following month. She stood and stretched, then wandered out to the lab. She saw Hodgins at his station, peering at some insect under his microscope; Zack was on the platform bent over a set of remains from Limbo; and Cam was on the catwalk, drinking a cup of tea, probably, and filling out some form. Someone Temperance didn't see, however, was Angela. Assuming her friend was in her office working on the Angelator, Temperance scanned her badge and stepped onto the platform.

Just as she was about to examine the skull, her cell phone rang. She pulled it out and answered absently, "Brennan."

"_Gather together 10 Million dollars and have it wired into my account in the Grand Caymans or you and Dr. Hodgins will never see Agent Booth or Ms. Montenegro again. I'll call later with the account number._" The line went dead.

Temperance's face went pale. Ignoring the questioning glances from her colleagues and vaguely aware of Dr. Saroyan coming down the stairs toward her, she dialed a number and put the cell to her ear.

"Adams Elementary School, how may I assist you?" came a pleasant voice over the line. _Evidently they've replaced that horrible receptionist_, Temperance thought distractedly.

"This is Dr. Temperance Brennan. Did my daughters, Katie and Hayley Smithson, make it in to school today?"

"Just one moment, please." Temperance heard the click of the woman's keyboard, and her voice just a moment later. "I'm sorry, Dr. Brennan. It doesn't look like either Katie or Hayley made it in today."

"Thank you for your help." She ended the call and dialed another number, losing hope by the moment.

"Little Tykes Preschool, this is Maria."

"Hi, this is Dr. Temperance Brennan. I was wondering if my son, Parker Booth, had made it in today."

"Dr. Brennan, it's so nice to speak with you," the woman replied pleasantly. "Agent Booth mentioned you the other day when he enrolled Parker for the spring term. Unfortunately, I don't see him listed as present today. Is he ill?" she responded a moment later.

"No, he's not, but thank you for your help," Temperance answered, ending the call.

"Temperance, you're kinda scaring me here," Jack announced, stepping forward. "What's going on?"

Temperance turned her frightened look on her concerned colleagues. "Booth and Angela have been taken by the Gravedigger," she replied in a monotone.

"The kids?" Cam asked, concerned.

Temperance nodded, fighting the tears back. "That monster has my kids, too," she whispered.

"We'll get them back, Dr. Brennan; Dr. Hodgins, we'll find them," Zack announced in an uncharacteristic show of assertion.

"I know. The first thing we need to do is figure out where he's buried them. Since neither Seeley nor Angela is a scientist, it's up to us to figure that out. Also, Hodgins, I want you to calculate exactly how much time they have with two adults and three kids. We have to assume the kids are with them."

"What about getting the money and giving it to him?" Hodgins asked, desperate just to get Angela back.

"The Cantilever Group has a policy of never paying ransom without proof of life," Cam pointed out.

Temperance nodded. "A policy that you yourself created," she added.

Jack thought about it a moment then acknowledged their point. "I'll call my CFO anyway and see if the proof of life can be our own history with the Gravedigger. Meantime, I'll work on the air supply."

"I'll see if I can find a common link between the known places he's buried people before," Zack offered.

"I'll give Director Cullen a call," Cam announced. "The Gravedigger used your car for your coffin; if he's done the same with Booth, maybe we can use a GPS satellite system to locate it. I'm sure an FBI standard-issue vehicle will have one installed."

"Good idea, Dr. Saroyan," Temperance agreed, then sighed. "And I have to call Seeley's ex and tell her that her son has been buried alive."

Cam rolled her eyes. "Good luck."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

An hour later, Hodgins returned. "Got a call from my CFO, Davidson," he announced. "The policy can't be changed without a vote from the board. That could take hours. More than we have, in fact." He held up his findings. "The three kids will take up as much air as one adult, which means that, instead of twelve hours, they have nine."

Temperance glanced at her watch. "They've been gone for two and a half hours now; we have approximately seven hours left. Zack, what have you found out on his burial sites?"

The genius turned from the computer he had been working at and shook his head sheepishly. "Not much, Dr. Brennan. He seems to like isolated areas, and he never uses the same burial site twice; that's about all I can tell you."

"On the plus side," Cam entered the conversation. "Booth's vehicle _did_ have a GPS positioning system installed in it. Cullen has his men on tracking it down, top priority; if they were buried in the SUV, they'll find them."

Temperance looked slightly more hopeful. "Do we know how long?"

"A few hours. What did you find out from Booth's ex?"

Temperance shook her head. "I couldn't get a hold of her. In fact, I must have the wrong number, because the message came on that the 'cellular number you have called is no longer in service'. Parker just talked to his mom on Christmas, so I know she still has the phone."

Cam looked incredulous. "Christmas was a week and a half ago, Temperance. She hasn't called since then?"

Tempe smiled slightly. "Actually, she hasn't called in almost three weeks; _Parker_ called _her_ on Christmas, and, come to think about it, the call lasted less than two minutes and he came away crying, but he wouldn't tell us what was wrong. When Booth got on the phone to ask Rebecca, she had hung up."

"That's odd."

Temperance nodded. "That was what I thought, too. Anyhow, Rebecca's eccentricities are the least of my worries right at this moment; I'm more concerned with my family."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Where are we, Daddy?" Parker asked, rubbing his eyes to wake up.

Booth shook his head. "I don't know, Bub," he replied.

"Gravedigger?" Angela asked Booth quietly, so as not to upset the kids.

He nodded. "Probably. It's his MO, and I have a burn on the back of my neck. The only thing I can't remember is how you got here."

She thought back, but honestly couldn't remember, either. "I must have gone after you for something, but I don't know what it was. But if I had gone after you and was hit by the car like Jack was, why aren't my legs broken?"

"Are you complaining?" Booth asked wryly.

"No, I'm not complaining. I'm just wondering, is all. How long have we been down here?" Angela responded acerbically.

Booth glanced at his watch. "Uh, about three hours, I'd guess." He nodded slightly towards the kids, indicating to her without words that they had to take into consideration the extra oxygen consumption.

She recalled how Jack had explained to her he had calculated the air supply for the Kent twins and did a quick figure. She held out nine fingers and took away three, indicating they still had six hours. Booth nodded to tell her he got the message.

"Don't worry, Daddy; Mommy will find us. She knows _everything_." Parker announced emphatically.

"Isn't your Mommy far away, Parker?" Katie asked, huddled with Hayley in the corner of the back seat.

"I meant Dr. Tempe-Bones," the boy answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Booth glanced at his son. "Parker, why are you calling Temperance 'Mommy'?" he asked suspiciously.

"Cuz' my old mommy said that Dr. Tempe-Bones is my new mommy and that's what I should call her," the boy sniffed. "She said she wasn't gonna be my mommy no more cuz' Drew doesn't like me. Did I do something wrong to him, Daddy?"

Booth reached over the seat and pulled his son into his lap. "No, Bub, you didn't do anything wrong. Your mommy was wrong to tell you that you had."

"She said I'm s'posed to call her 'Becca now," the tyke answered.

"We'll figure all that out when we get out of here, Bub. You're right: your new mommy is really smart; I'm sure she's doing everything she can to find us right now."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I'm going to go check the area where the SUV was parked; maybe there's something there," Temperance announced, fingering the ring on the chain around her neck.

"I'm going with you," Jack said, following her out of the lab. "Temperance," he murmured softly, once they had left the building. "What's up? I know you're worried about Booth and your kids, but you're so quiet. Usually you'd be barking orders or one-upping Dr. Saroyan."

"This isn't a usual situation, Hodgins," she replied wryly, then sighed. "I just keep thinking: I never got to tell Booth that I love him. What if he dies and never hears it?"

"Hey," Hodgins said, throwing his arm around her. "Booth doesn't need to hear it; he knows you love him. He wouldn't be with you if he didn't." He paused. "You really never told him?"

She gave a nervous laugh. "I never realized I did. This entire time I thought I didn't know how to love someone, never knowing that I already did. I love all of them; I can't lose them now, Hodgins; I don't know if I can take losing any more loved ones. Can you imagine a life with no Angela or Booth in it?"

Hodgins shook his head slowly, fighting his own demons. "No, I can't. We'll find them, Temperance." He drew her into his arms for a moment before releasing her reluctantly. "Where was the SUV parked this morning?" he asked briskly.

She glanced around the parking garage and got her bearings for a moment before pointing. "There," she replied, heading over to the vacant spot.

He followed her and they searched the area for half an hour. Temperance saw something glinting from underneath the next car and, reaching down, realized it was the gun Booth kept in his ankle holster. She picked it up gingerly and put it in her pocket, then continued glancing. She noticed that Hodgins was bent over, studying something.

"What are you looking at?" she asked, coming up behind him.

"This soil here doesn't seem exactly consistent with anything else. There's also some vegetation that looks like some kind of grass mixed in. I'll take a sample of it and analyze it in the lab. Should have the results in a couple hours."

"Good, then let's go back in so you can start on that. I'm going to try Rebecca again, then work on that pattern of burial sites Zack's drawn up."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"It looks like Zack was right; he chooses his burial grounds in remote areas," Temperance explained to Cam. "See? There's the area he buried me and Hodgins, and here's the woods he buried Matthew and Ryan Kent. This empty lot, this abandoned mine, and this meadow are the areas he buried the three surviving victims. So not only does he does he not use the same spot twice; it also looks like he hasn't yet used the same _type_ of place twice."

"Wonderful. Now we just need to know what type of place he used this time," Cam responded dryly.

"We can look for an area where _Calluna Vulgaris_ grows," Hodgins announced, coming up.

"Scottish Heather?" Temperance asked. "I know there's some at the National Botanical Gardens; maybe he was visiting there before he kidnapped Booth and Angela." Her phone rang as she was about to say something. "Brennan," she spouted abruptly.

"Dr. Brennan, this is Director Cullen. Our GPS tracker has given an approximate location for Agent Booth's SUV directly west of here, somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains. Unfortunately, we'd need several more hours to pinpoint exactly where."

"The Appalachians?" Temperance asked. "But they could be any-" she looked up suddenly at Hodgins, inspiration striking both their countenances. "Director Cullen, I think you just found out where they've been buried. I'm going to need you and a team to meet us there, though." She gave the coordinates and signed off, dashing with Hodgins toward the exit, Cam and Zack in hot pursuit.

"What was that all about? Are we missing something, Zack?" Cam asked, an eye kept on the scientists as they piled into Tempe's and Hodgins' respective cars. Temperance strapped herself in and glanced at Cam in the rearview.

"There's only one spot in the Appalachians where Scottish Heather grows wild, and it's an hour and a half away from here," she replied. "Hodgins, how much time do we have?" she asked into the speaker phone.

"About that much time," was his reply.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

An hour and a half later, they were looking over their destination, searching for any sign of recent disruption. Hodgins saw something and pointed. "Over there," he said, running towards it. Temperance started after him, followed by Cam and Zack.

By far the more athletic of the two, Temperance soon outstripped Jack and reached the area a full minute before he did. Sure enough, it had recently been overturned and she started digging.

The FBI team Cullen had assembled came up with shovels and started digging as well, but the scientists never stopped scooping out the dirt with their hands. Finally, Temperance's fingers scraped the side of the car and she felt around frantically until she found the handle. She got the door open and thirty seconds later, Parker was lifted out into her hands.

"Mommy!" the tyke announced, flinging his arms around her neck. "I knew you'd find us, I knew it!"

Hayley was lifted out next, and immediately, Temperance noticed something was wrong. The little girl was unconscious and breathing shallowly. "What happened?" she asked.

"I don't know, Mommy. Hayley just felled asleep a little while ago," Parker replied.

"Oh, God. She has a lung condition," she told the FBI agent attending the child, pulling Katie into her arms to comfort her.

Angela came out next and Hodgins hauled her into his arms, squeezing her tightly. Finally, Booth climbed out of the vehicle and collapsed next to Temperance, who threw herself into his arms.

"I love you," he murmured into her mouth, finally kissing her hard. "Oh, but Hayley! We need to-"

"Don't worry about it, Booth," Cullen announced. "Your daughter will be fine; she's woken up, but is still breathing shallower than she should, so we'll rush her to the hospital, if you and Dr. Brennan want to join us…" he gestured to the waiting vehicles, and Temperance and Seeley stood up and brushed themselves off.

Tempe picked up Parker and Seeley grabbed Katie, both of them following Agent Andrews, who was carrying Hayley. Tempe paused only long enough to toss her keys to Cam, who nodded her head.

"By the way," Temperance murmured huskily once they were settled in the vehicle with Hayley stretched out between them. "I love you."

His eyes glistened as he cupped her cheek. "I know," he responded, smiling. "I love you, too." He kissed her gently, then wrapped one arm around her and the other one around Hayley.


	16. Rebecca Explains

RosieLady: I will delve into that in this chapter, assuming it goes the way I planned.

BonesDBchippie: You're right; you're a little behind. But that's OK, assuming you catch yourself up, of course. I've made a few "Buches de Noel" as well, although for _my_ French classes. I had this past Christmas in my mind when I wrote chapter 14; we had Christmas Eve at my sister and brother-in-law's house, then went home and I was up until 3:30 putting Christmas stockings together. _And_, I was up at 5:30 to start the day.

WinchesterWench: Oh, Rebecca's actions will be explained in this chapter. She's really not the bitch I made her out to be in the last chapter.

Bubble Sheep: I deliberately didn't put a lot of "Aliens in a Spaceship" in chapter 15 because I didn't want too many spoilers for recent episodes, just in case people hadn't seen them. We haven't had a new episode here in two months, but I'm excited; the new episode comes out next week! Finally!

Snow1685: Adoption probably won't come yet, but it will come eventually. Just haven't decided when.

AsaneismRnuTs: Oh, I'm not cruel enough to kill off Seeley, Angela, and three kids! _That_ would be just mean. So you got…three weeks off? That's not bad, I guess. Worth it for the MA.

Jaed621: Hmmm…Drew? I already have something planned for Drew and Rebecca, but that would have been an interesting angle to explore. And I agree; the chapter was really rushed. Technically, the time period fit, but I had wanted to spend more time describing what was going on; it just didn't come out the way I had planned.

Whitedragon005: I actually think (in the show), that they _will_ go back to Gravedigger; I'm just not sure how they'll do it, either.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

January 3, 2007

Temperance and Seeley sat in the waiting room of the hospital, Parker and Katie sitting frightened on their respective laps, waiting for the doctor to give them an update on Hayley's condition. The child had been unconscious when she was pulled from the buried SUV earlier in the day, but had quickly regained consciousness. However, they had taken her to the hospital anyhow, to monitor her breathing.

"Dr. Brennan? Agent Booth?" an attractive, middle-aged man greeted them as he came through the waiting room door.

"Yes, how is she?" Temperance asked, leaping up with Parker still in her arms.

"Hayley is doing well now; we want to keep her overnight for observation, but you should be able to take her home tomorrow."

Temperance and Booth sighed in relief. "Thank you, Doctor," Seeley said, grabbing Katie by the hand and wrapping his free arm around Tempe's waist. "Can we see her?"

"Yes, but I have to insist on just you and Dr. Brennan at the moment. I realize your son and daughter want to see her, too; unfortunately, it's just not possible at this time. However, before you do see her, I'd like to speak with you in my office."

Temperance and Seeley handed over Parker and Katie to Angela and Jack and followed the doctor down the hall to his office. Once there, they sat in front of the desk and clasped hands, expecting the worst.

"Dr. Brennan, do you know if your sister-in-law was a smoker at all?" he began tentatively.

Temperance shook her head. "You wouldn't believe how little I actually know about Amy," she replied. "Why?"

"Hayley has Chronic Bronchitis," he answered simply.

"What does that have to do with smoking?" Seeley asked impatiently.

Dr. Sanders turned to him. "Chronic Bronchitis is a form of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease," he explained.

"Most commonly associated with smoke inhalation," Temperance finished sadly.

Dr. Sanders nodded his head. "Exactly. Hayley mentioned a pill she takes. I assume it's to help with the pain?"

Temperance nodded. "She also has an inhaler she uses; a broncholidator. She takes the pill three times a day and the inhaler four times."

"Good. I'm going to go ahead and prescribe a nebulizer; I want you to administer it for a half hour every day. What time of the day doesn't matter; just so long as it's the same time every day. Also, I strongly recommend you think about surgery for Hayley. It's a relatively simple procedure and will take care of her problem permanently."

Again, Temperance nodded. "My brother mentioned something about that the last time he stayed with me. We'll schedule the surgery today," she replied.

"Good. Well, that's all I have; you can go and see Hayley now."

They entered her room and immediately were struck with how bleak she looked. Tubes came out of her nose, wires were attached to her chest, and she was lying under an oxygen tent. "I thought he said she was doing OK," Seeley muttered, taking in the scene.

"She probably is," Temperance replied softly, approaching the sleeping child. "The pure oxygen is so she's not breathing in the pollution in the air. That's what the nebulizer will be for, too. This isn't going to be easy, Seeley," she stated, taking a seat next to Hayley's bed and facing him. "Even after surgery, Hayley won't be completely well for some time. Are you sure you want to take all that on?"

Booth regarded her thoughtfully before slowly approaching her and kneeling in front of the chair. He fingered the engagement ring she wore around her neck and whispered, "In sickness and in health, Temperance. I made a commitment to you when I gave you that ring; that goes for your kids, too. I love all of you; I'm not walking away." To punctuate his statement, he leaned forward, kissed her softly, and reached over to stroke Hayley's cheek through the arm-holes in the tent.

His words triggered something that had been niggling at the back of Temperance's brain since her family had been pulled from the buried SUV earlier that afternoon. "Why was Parker calling me 'Mommy'?" she asked, curious.

Booth sighed, again growing angry with Rebecca. He explained what his ex had told their son, and soon Temperance was growing thoughtful. "I can't believe Rebecca just abandoned her son; there has to be some alternative solution," she temporized. "And Drew seemed to genuinely like Parker, from what you told me about how much time they spent together."

"It doesn't occur to you that Drew got tired of _playing_ at being a father and actually wanted his own kids, so he made Rebecca give Parker up so they could start over?" he asked, indignant.

"Not in the least," she replied, amused.

"Why not? It's logical."

"No, it's not. First of all, I dislike jumping to a conclusion before we have all the facts, and we most assuredly do _not_ have all the facts in this case. Secondly, Drew _has _a son. And thirdly, would _you_ give Parker up if I asked you to?"

He didn't even have to think about it. "No. Not even for all the love I have for you could I give up my son, even if that was the only way we could be together," he replied seriously.

Temperance nodded. "Exactly. I don't believe Rebecca could do that, either. There's got to be another reason." She turned her attention to Hayley then, who was starting to wake.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

January 4, 2007

"Can you drop me at the lab?" Temperance asked Seeley the next day as they were driving home. Seeley had been issued a new SUV to replace the one that had been buried, which had been impounded for evidence. He received the new one just in time to check Hayley out of the hospital.

He glanced over at Temperance. "You want to go to the lab _now_?" he asked incredulously. "I thought you were taking the day off."

She sighed impatiently. "I am taking the day off. My car is at the lab; Cam drove it back after we found you guys yesterday. I need to get the keys from her, and bring home a stack of paperwork and my laptop," she replied.

"Fine," he answered, making the turn to head to the Jeffersonian. "But I want you home no later than one hour after me. Hodgins and Angela will be bringing home Katie and Parker then, and will stay for dinner," he reminded her.

"I remember," she countered, kissing him gently as they stopped at a light.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Dr. Brennan, what a coincidence; I was just going to call you," Cam announced, descending the stairs from the catwalk.

"What? Why?" Temperance asked, taking her keys from the pathologist.

"Director Cullen is in your office _insisting_ on speaking with you. I don't know why, but he won't leave until he sees you."

"Interesting. Thank you, Dr. Saroyan," Temperance replied, heading toward her office. Once she entered, she noticed that Director Cullen was, indeed, sitting in front of her desk. He rose as she entered and held out his hand.

"Dr. Brennan, thank you for seeing me on such short notice," he said pleasantly.

"Did I have a choice?" Brennan responded wryly.

"How's your daughter?"

Temperance regarded the FBI Director thoughtfully. "She's better; home now, in fact, but I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to ask about Hayley."

"No, I didn't. I have a couple of people that won't go quietly without speaking to you first," Cullen explained.

"Speaking with me? What could they possibly want with me?" she asked.

"I'll let them tell you that. They're in our vehicle outside. For obvious reasons, we couldn't bring them in public without stating publicly that they're under FBI protection."

"Of course I understand. Just one moment." She gathered up the paperwork on the last couple of cases – including the one on Pickering and McVicar – and her laptop and followed the FBI Director out of her office, locking it on the way.

Once they reached the caravan of vehicles, she was ushered inside one of them and was surprised to find herself face-to-face with Rebecca and Drew.

She nodded, understanding dawning on her features. "I knew there had to be a valid reason you would suddenly tell Parker that you weren't his mommy anymore," she stated.

Rebecca held back the tears from spilling down her cheeks. "How is he?" she asked quietly.

"How would you be if you were four years old and your mommy told you she didn't want you anymore and to call another woman 'Mommy' instead?" Temperance asked acerbically. "Physically, he's fine, despite having been buried alive yesterday. I'm sure Cullen's informed you."

Rebecca nodded. "Will you let me explain why Parker was told that, Dr. Brennan?" she pleaded.

"I really should just walk out and leave you to your own devices, but I'll listen. Go ahead," she replied with some compassion.

"My history before I met Seeley is a little…tenuous," she began. "I rolled with a bad crowd and split on bad terms with them. About a week before Christmas, I came head-to-head with a member of that crowd in Cincinnati, who tried to gun me down on my way in to visit my grandmother.

"He hit me, and I was hospitalized for a couple days, but the wound wasn't serious enough for me to think much of it. However, I _did_ call the police, and they said they would have someone keep an eye on me just in case it happened again. Sure enough, on Christmas Eve, they shot at me again, this time on my way out of the hospital and with Drew.

"They hit us both, and it was announced that we had died in that shooting, and we were immediately placed under FBI protection. We've been in a safe house here in DC ever since. And, since I'm technically dead, I can't take Parker with me. It would look a little odd for my very alive and healthy son to suddenly disappear. _That's_ why I told him not to call me 'Mommy' anymore." She was crying openly now.

"And what am I supposed to tell Parker and Seeley, when it comes to light that you died on Christmas _Eve_, but you were miraculously alive on Christmas _Day_ to tell your son you didn't want him anymore?" Temperance pointed out.

"It wasn't me that spoke to Parker; it was my mother," Rebecca explained. "Since she and I sound so much alike, Parker wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. My mom's the only uninvolved person, besides you, that knows the truth. I'd like to keep it that way."

Temperance glared at her for a moment before stipulating, "Seeley and I are starting a relationship, Rebecca. I'm not an expert on the subject, but I don't think two people that love each other should be keeping secrets like this from each other."

"Tell Seeley if you need to then," Rebecca nodded. "But not Parker."

Temperance nodded in reluctant acquiescence. "I don't agree with this, for the record," she stated, "but you have my word that I won't say anything to a soul except for Booth. And Parker will always be treated as if he were my own son."

"I knew that, or I would never have gone along with this plan," Rebecca replied. "Thank you, Dr. Brennan." She held out her hand and Temperance hesitated only a moment before she shook it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: Well, this chapter didn't go exactly as I had planned, but it seems like it fits, I guess.


	17. Legal Matters

BonesDBchippie: Very Temperance-esque to get all the facts before drawing a conclusion. I'm like that, too; I _hate_ making assumptions before I have all the facts.

RosieLady: Your reviews always make me stop and analyze the chapter as I've formulated it to see if problems will actually be resolved or if I'm just making things worse. Hopefully, some of your questions will be answered in this chapter.

Hina20: Yeah, I work really hard at keeping those twists coming.

WinchesterWench: I felt bad for Rebecca, too. But I'd have felt even worse for Seeley if he had had to lose Parker permanently because Rebecca had found a way to take him with her. We all know how much he hates being a "part-time" Dad.

Bubble Sheep: Our new episode was originally supposed to be tonight (Wednesday), but they pushed it back another week. Erg!

JiffyLube: Thanks! Have you been reading this with other people?

Koria: I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much; keep reading.

A/N: It occurs to me that, in the last chapter, I had Rebecca saying in one line that _she_ told Parker not to call her 'Mommy' anymore, and in the next line, she says it was her mother. The line was supposed to read: "That's why I told her to tell him not to call me 'Mommy' anymore."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

January 4, 2007

"So what took you so long to come home tonight?" Booth asked in their bed that night, after they had properly reunited from the previous day.

Temperance sighed, dreading the conversation that was to come. "Rebecca wanted to see me," she replied.

Booth's visage hardened immediately. "Did she offer an excuse for why she broke our son's heart?"

"Yes," she nodded. "She's dead." Temperance gave Rebecca's entire story over to Booth, about the bad crowd, the shootings, and the ultimate decision to be dead so she and Drew wouldn't be hunted anymore.

"Wow," was all he said once she had finished.

Temperance nodded. "I know. Do you know anything about what crowd she dangled with before she met you?"

Seeley laughed. "_Hung_, Bones. It's _hung_ with, not dangled. And no, I don't. It shouldn't be too difficult for me to find out, though. And now I need to tell my son that his mommy is dead. What is it with you and me and that speech lately?"

She sighed. "I don't know. At least Parker still has _you_; Katie and Hayley lost both of their parents. And Rebecca was right; you are an excellent father. Parker is so lucky. All of us are, to have you watching out for us." She molded herself against his side and threw her arm over his abdomen.

"I love you," he mumbled into her hair.

She grinned. "I love you, too." She leaned up and kissed him briefly, before settling back against him. As she closed her eyes to go to sleep, she didn't see him send a brief prayer of thanks as he pulled her tighter.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

January 5, 2007

The next day, Friday, Temperance called the schools and excused all three kids from missing the last three days of classes, stating that they would be back on Monday, and to have their teachers email her their homework. Seeley pulled her to the doorway, where he was grabbing his coat. "I'm going to go in for a few hours; see if I can find out anything on the group of people Rebecca mentioned to you," he whispered. "I should be home by lunch, though. Did you want me to pick anything up on the way?"

She thought about it and nodded slowly. "A real estate catalog?" she suggested, glancing at the kids.

"Really?" he asked incredulously. "Honey, are you sure you're ready for that?"

"No," she sighed. "But we really do need a bigger place. We can't expect our three children to sleep in the same bed indefinitely, now can we?" She leaned up and kissed him. "Hurry home. I love you."

He grinned delightedly. "I love you, too." He kissed her briefly once more before leaving.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later, after lunch and Hayley's nebulizer treatment, Temperance turned her attention to Katie. "Katie, what did your mom usually do for your birthdays?" she asked.

Seeley's head shot up. "Is it someone's birthday?" he inquired, glancing between the two girls.

"Katie turns nine in a few days," Temperance replied, smiling.

"Mommy used to take us out to a movie or a play," the girl replied, clutching the pendant Temperance had given her for Christmas. Fighting back the tears, she continued. "She would wake us up super early and let us open up one present before school, then she'd spend the day making arrangements for us to go to the local theater. She knew the person who ran it, so we'd always get seats, no matter how full it was. Then, after the play, we'd open the rest of our presents and have our cake."

"I don't know if we can go to a play or anything right now, with Hayley sick and everything happening, but maybe we can go this summer when you guys are out of school. Is there anything special you wanted to see?"

Katie nodded. "Beauty and the Beast," she answered promptly.

Temperance glanced at her quizzically. "Don't you already have that one?"

"She means the Broadway play, Bones," Booth piped in, rolling his eyes. "Don't pay any mind to Temperance, kids. She's completely clueless when it comes to pop culture."

That comment earned Booth a playful punch on the shoulder from the woman in question. "I'll see what I can do, Katie. I have a few strings I can pull in the theater district. I'm not as entirely clueless as Agent Booth makes me out to be." Her phone rang then, and she grabbed it. "Brennan," she laughed, noticing Booth's crossed eyes.

"Dr. Temperance Brennan?" came a jovial voice on the other end.

"Yes. Who is this?"

"My name is Robert Dickason, Dr. Brennan. I was Amy Smithson's attorney."

Temperance started. "I wasn't aware that Amy had an attorney," she replied significantly, glancing up at Booth. He took in her upset look and stood, walking up to her.

"In that case, I assume you also weren't aware that your brother and Amy were actually married the day before they went into hiding?" the lawyer responded.

"Uh, no. No, I wasn't aware of that, either."

"I see. I also can't say that I'm very surprised; the marriage was a rushed one, and I doubt even the girls realize that they had been married. My reason for calling you doesn't really pertain to the marriage, however."

"What exactly does it pertain to, then?" she responded impatiently.

"Your brother and sister-in-law's will. The same day they were married, they came to visit me and had their respective wills drawn up, in the event they didn't survive their flee into hiding. Basically, it leaves everything to you, in trust for the girls. They, however, have been placed under your care – by the government – conditionally only."

Booth noticed her pale face and grabbed her to keep her from falling. He guided her over to the sofa and sat next to her. "What?" he asked, scared at her look.

She covered the mouthpiece to her cell phone and whispered back, "The girls could be taken away from us," before returning her attention to the phone call. "What are the conditions?" she asked the lawyer, composing her face so she didn't startle the children anymore than they already were.

"It's quite well known, from your television interview on 'Wake Up, DC!', that you don't particularly like children," he hedged.

"I never said I didn't like children!" she whispered harshly, to keep the kids from hearing her. For a more private conversation, she headed down the hall to her bedroom, Booth following with instructions for the kids to stay where they were.

"You said you were never going to have any; that's the same difference," Dickason rejoined. "Anyhow, the girls have been left to you by Amy; there's no problem there. But the State of Virginia has agreed to let them stay with you only if you complete and pass a preliminary home visit, allow the girls to be questioned by their state psychiatrist outside of your presence, and apply for emergency guardianship if the previous stipulations have been met."

"No," Temperance answered. "That's not acceptable."

"Then I'm going to have to send a DCFS representative to your home to take those girls away from you," he answered. "Believe me, I don't want to do that; I'd much rather see them with you and your partner than with people that don't care about them. I know you love them, Dr. Brennan; I saw you with them at Amy and Russ' funeral."

"I won't let them be interviewed alone; they've been through so much already. I understand that – for obvious reasons – I can't be present, and neither can Seeley. But what about one of my colleagues? Someone the girls know and trust that can maybe reassure them? They've spent time in the last few weeks with Angela Montenegro and Jack Hodgins; surely one or the both of them is suitable," she pleaded.

"The girls will be questioned separately, but I'll see if Ms. Montenegro can be present with one of them and Dr. Hodgins with the other during their interviews," Dickason sympathized. "Was that your only request?"

Temperance nodded. "Yes. I know how the system works; I've been there before. With everything that's happened to them in such a short time, I didn't want to put them through anything where they'd feel threatened."

"I can understand that. Your home visit will be this afternoon at three, and the interviews will be conducted immediately afterwards. If both are satisfactory, I'll be by around five to drop off the custody application and keys to Amy's house, Russ' apartment, and their safety deposit box."

Temperance swallowed. "Thank you," she finally replied.

She put in a quick call to a friend, to call in a favor, then dialed Angela's number.

"Can you and Hodgins come over?" she asked when her friend answered.

"Bren? Sweetie, what happened? Booth didn't leave again, did he?" Angela asked, concerned.

Temperance shook her head, leaving her bedroom and heading down the hallway with Booth. "No, Booth's here; that's not why I'm calling. I just got a call from a lawyer that Russ and Amy used. He warned me that a social worker will be here in a couple hours for a home visit, and that the girls will be questioned by the Virginia state psychiatrists to make sure they aren't being mistreated. Booth and I aren't allowed to be present during the questioning, but you and Hodgins probably will be." She stood in front of the kids, ready to explain everything to them once the phone call was over.

"We'll be there. Just let us finish up here at the lab, let Cam and Zack know where we'll be, and we should be there by 2:45."

Temperance sighed in relief. "Great, we owe you guys another one. Thanks, Ange."

"No problem, Sweetie." Temperance shut her phone and briefly explained the situation to the girls, whose eyes went as big as saucers.

Parker, too, looked very frightened. "They're not gonna take Katie and Hayley away from us, are they, Mommy?" he asked, lip quivering.

Temperance, compassion welling inside for the little boy she and Booth still had yet to talk to, knelt down to his level. "No, Parker. They won't take Katie and Hayley away from us," she soothed, pulling the tyke into her arms. "Kids, can you go make sure your bedroom is straightened up for me, please?" she asked, once she had released Parker and stood up again.

"Sure, Tempe," Katie replied, grabbing Parker's hand and gesturing for Hayley to follow her.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Two hours later, Jack and Angela had arrived and the group was sitting around the kitchen table, playing Clue, when the doorbell rang. Hesitantly, Temperance stood up to answer it. On the other side stood a plump, middle-aged woman, and a man and woman in their mid-thirties.

"You must be Dr. Brennan," the older woman stated congenially. "I'm Josephine Bradley, your case worker. I'd like you to meet our state psychiatrists, Dr. Amber Murphy and Dr. Michael Jensen." The doctors shook hands with Temperance and Seeley, then stood back, observing the scene.

"Please come in," Temperance offered, gesturing to the apartment. "Make yourselves at home. Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Water would be great," Dr. Murphy replied. The other two agreed, and Temperance and Seeley went to the kitchen for three glasses of water. Josephine took her glass and wandered around the apartment, conducting her inspection of the girls' living conditions.

She noted that the spare bedroom had only a single queen size bed in it, and wrote that in her file. She also took stock of the activities provided for the girls. Evidently, Dr. Brennan hadn't missed anything at Christmas; stuffed animals, books, dolls, and activity books lined a large bookshelf. A peek in the closet also revealed new clothing for the girls. She moved on to the bathroom, pleased that everything was in order and tidy and, glancing in the medicine cabinet, she was gratified to find that all of Hayley's medications were on the top shelf, out of reach of the children.

She entered Temperance's bedroom and, again, was happy to find Hayley's nebulizer stashed in here, behind the door, out of the reach of the children. This bedroom, like the kids', was neat and tidy; the bed was made, clothing hung up in the closet or folded in the dresser, the bookshelves stocked with medical and forensic references as well as her two novels, several mysteries, a few classics, the complete works of Shakespeare, and the largest collection of poetry she had ever seen.

_Interesting_, Josephine thought to herself, _I would never have taken Dr. Brennan for a poetry reader, from what I know of her._

She headed back to the living room and a more in-depth look around showed the kids' place in the anthropologist's life more clearly than her initial glance had. She noticed the large dollhouse in the corner of the living room, a few Tonka trucks near it. A rifle through the DVD collection showed many more children's movies than adult movies, making Josephine wonder if Dr. Brennan had owned a television before the girls came into her life.

A look out to the balcony showed Parker's new bike stashed there, as well as ice skates for the whole family and a number of jump ropes hanging up. She headed to the kitchen then and rifled through the cabinets and refrigerator. Instead of the adult-palate foods she had expected to find, she came across crackers, juice, cookies, apples, and Nilla wafers. A pound of ground beef was sitting in the refrigerator, obviously defrosting for dinner, and the tortilla shells sitting near the bread box indicated that dinner was probably tacos.

She indicated to the psychiatrists that her inspection was done and they could perform their interviews with the girls. Dr. Murphy went into the kids' bedroom with Hayley and Angela, while Dr. Jensen entered Temperance's bedroom with Katie and Jack.

"Dr. Brennan, I have to say, I'm delighted by how well-incorporated into your life and home these girls seem," Josephine announced once she was alone with the two adults and Parker.

"Thank you," Temperance answered, somewhat warily.

"I just have one concern: the matter of the bedroom the kids sleep in. Am I to understand that all three children sleep in the same bed?" the social worker asked, curious.

"For now. You'll remember that Katie and Hayley came to me rather unexpectedly; in fact, with about two minutes' notice?" Josephine nodded, and Temperance continued. "The only place I had for them to sleep at that time was a spare bedroom with a queen-sized bed in it, and it seemed fine for a temporary arrangement. Then Agent Booth and Parker moved in, and it still seemed fine for a temporary arrangement for the kids to sleep together; there's plenty of room in the bed for three small children."

She took a deep breath and finished her story. "However, now that it has the possibility of being a permanent arrangement, Agent Booth and I are looking into houses in the area." She retrieved the real estate catalog Booth had picked up on his way home from work, and handed it to Josephine, so she could glance through the homes they had circled.

Josephine nodded and handed the catalog back to Booth. "I'll tell you what, Dr. Brennan," she temporized, trying to find an area of negotiation. "If you find a suitable home and are settled there within the next 60 days, and allow me to perform a home visit there, I'll keep the queen bed out of my report."

"Is there a problem with the kids sleeping in that bed?" Temperance asked, suddenly worried.

Josephine straightened up and glanced between the adults. "I won't lie to you, Dr. Brennan; you seem like the type of person that appreciates honesty, so I'll give it to you. If you had applied for custody of Katie and Hayley before they came to you and put them in one bed with another child, there would be a problem. However, since this is a different situation and you had no prior knowledge of the girls' coming to you, I'm giving you the opportunity to fix it. And I'm only doing that because it's become clear to me during the hour I've been here that you aren't mistreating those kids."

Temperance smiled. "A reasonable social worker; who would have imagined it?" she asked rhetorically.

"Bones!" Booth hissed beside her, but Josephine was laughing.

"It's quite alright, Agent Booth; I assure you I'm well-aware of the generalization of social workers." She was still laughing five minutes later when both psychiatrists emerged with their subjects. Hayley climbed up into Temperance's lap and pulled the game box toward her, setting the board up for another game. Dr. Murphy and Dr. Jensen both pronounced themselves satisfied at the well-being of the girls, and Josephine stood up, sliding a thick packet to Temperance.

"These are the application papers for custody of the girls. There's also a set of adoption rules, should you and Agent Booth choose to go that route and make this a permanent arrangement with the girls," she explained.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later, after Dickason had dropped off the keys and a copy of both wills and the family had eaten their taco dinner, Jack and Angela left and the kids were bathed and put to bed. Seeley and Temperance, however, had remained awake, talking about their immediate future.

"We completely forgot to tell Parker about Rebecca today," Temperance realized sadly. "I'm not looking forward to that conversation."

Seeley nudged her. "Come on, Honey; you've never shied away from difficult conversations before."

"Booth, I'm a scientist; I'm better in the lab dealing with dead bodies than with their living relatives," she countered.

"Rebecca isn't dead," Booth reminded her gently.

"But Parker won't know that!" Temperance insisted vehemently. "That's what really gets me; the fact that she wouldn't want her own son to know what really happened to her."

"And that's exactly why you're the right person to be here for him; because you know what it's like to lose your mother. It's why Katie and Hayley love and relate to you so well; because you've been in their shoes before," Seeley soothed. "You're doing a great job, Bones; really a great job."

She smiled wryly. "Thanks, Booth." She leaned up to kiss him and, grinning, headed to the bedroom, flicking the light off on the way.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: I had planned on writing a chapter on Katie's birthday, but this one came out instead, and then I had to spend some extra time on it to make sure that a social worker would actually have to _make_ a home visit before granting custody to a foster parent. It took forever, although, if I thought about it long enough, I could have just used the information I received when I applied to be an adoptive parent a couple months ago.


	18. Recorded Interviews

Ilovebuttfacedmiscreants: Don't worry; I deliberately didn't put the conversations between the psychiatrists and the girls in the last chapter because I thought it would be wiser to focus on the social worker with Bones and Booth. But the psychiatrist conversations will be in this chapter; Hodgins and Angela will have taken audio recorders in the rooms with them.

Jessabelle87: I was reading my story so far a day or two before the last chapter came out and realized that it was really unrealistic for there not to be even an investigation into the situation with the girls, so I made a detour with the social worker as a guide. As for my adopting situation: I'm hoping that in a year or two I'll be approved to adopt…at the moment I'm just a little too young.

Brianna Jacobs: I know; I'm planning on touching on the birthday party either in this chapter or the next one. Hmmm…school friends…that's an interesting idea.

RosieLady: I know Rebecca seems cavalier in her attitude. Unfortunately, since Bones isn't great about understanding the feelings of others, she probably can't see that it's likely killing Rebecca inside to give up her son. I'd like to do an aside chapter about just Rebecca and Drew, but since this story's about Booth and Bones, I really can't do that. Maybe once I'm finished with this story, I can do a separate story from Rebecca's standpoint. And yes, your questions do help…keep them coming!

Whitedragon005: I'm glad you get so excited over my story…I love to see people that are excited about things. Keep reading.

Bubble Sheep: I know. I kept having visions in my head of the scenes in Bones' apartment that have been shown on the show and just thought that we needed to see how the place has evolved since the girls and the Booths have come to live with her. Our new episodes started two weeks ago, and we had last week's, too. I won't say anything except they finally resolved the situation with Booth and Cam.

Bsquared19: I was wondering about that, too (actually, wondering probably isn't the right word…more like wanting to resolve it). Anyhow, my own experience with the adoption process was the inspiration for the last chapter.

Koria: It could be very interesting to see them house-hunting, and I have some great ideas (at least, _I _think they're great ideas) for that chapter when it comes out.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

January 6, 2007

"Kids, why don't you put your dishes in the sink and come on over to the living room?" Seeley asked the next morning, after everyone had finished their breakfasts. "There are a few things that Temperance and I need to talk to you about."

The three kids did as they were asked and sat on the couch, as Seeley grabbed Temperance's hand and settled the both of them on the coffee table, facing the kids. Not knowing how to begin, he looked to Brennan, who squeezed his hand encouragingly. Taking a deep breath, he plunged in.

"Hey, Bub," he addressed his son, "Do you remember when you were told to start calling Dr. Brennan 'Mommy'?" he began hesitantly.

"Uh-huh," the little boy nodded. "My old mommy said it was 'cuz Drew didn't like me no more." His lower lip started to quiver, and Booth reached out to pull the tyke into his lap.

"Well, Temperance found out that it wasn't your mommy that told you that, but it was your grandma," Booth explained.

"But why would his grandma say that?" Hayley wanted to know.

"Because she didn't know how to tell him that his mommy wasn't coming back," Temperance supplied.

"But why?" Parker wailed, sobbing. "Did I do something wrong? Is that why she doesn't want me?"

"Shhh," Booth soothed, rubbing Parker's back. "No, Bub. You didn't do anything wrong, and your mommy did want you."

Understanding dawned on Katie's face. "His mommy's not coming back the same way our mommy's not coming back," she stated. "She died, didn't she, Tempe?"

Not knowing how to tactfully answer the question, but wanting to be truthful with the child (or as truthful as the situation would allow), Temperance merely nodded slowly. "Yes," she finally said.

Parker, upon hearing this simple admission, wailed even louder, burying his face in Booth's neck. Silently cursing Rebecca and her idiotic plan, Booth held his son tightly, rocking him as he stood up and moved to the rocking chair, the same way he had done with Hayley such a short time ago.

Temperance turned her attention to the girls, who were crying for their grieving friend. She turned and settled herself between them, drawing each of them to her side and doing her fair share of cursing Rebecca, the crowd she had been involved with, the FBI, and Booth's God for allowing this to happen to not one, but _three_ children within two weeks of each other.

Some time later, after Parker had sufficiently calmed enough to ask some questions and for Booth to answer them as best he could, Temperance brought forward another concern of hers and Booths.

"Yesterday, when the lawyer came over," she began, glancing at the girls in particular, "he brought me a few keys. One of them is to a safety-deposit box."

"What's that?" Heyley asked, tilting her head up to look Temperance in the eyes.

The scientist smiled. "A safety-deposit box is a box – almost like a locker – that's kept in a bank. People keep important papers and valuables, sometimes jewelry in them. Agent Booth and I will go there next weekend to clean it out. We also got keys to Russ' apartment, and to your old house. We'll go visit there when Agent Booth and I go to the bank next weekend."

"What will we do there?" Katie wanted to know. "Are we going to live there again?"

Temperance shook her head. "No. Agent Booth and I both work here in Washington, DC. We need to live here. We _will_, however, go through your stuff and your mother's stuff. Whatever you guys want to bring back, we'll bring back. Anything that you guys decide you don't want, we'll sell or give away. We'll do the same at your mommy's house, Parker."

The little boy nodded, still huddled against his father's chest. "Are my daddy and I gonna live here now, or are we gonna live at his other house?"

"Well, that's another thing we wanted to talk to you guys about, Bub," Booth murmured, stroking his son's back. "Dr. Brennan and I want to keep living together, but we can't live here any more. It's too small for five people to live in. So is my apartment, which means that we have to buy a house. We're going to start looking on Monday after work."

"Is she gonna be my new mommy?" Parker asked of Temperance.

Seeley sighed. He didn't know how to explain his complicated relationship with Brennan to a four-year-old. He glanced at Temperance, who shrugged helplessly, and sighed again. "She's only going to be your new mommy if you want her to be, Bub. You don't have to call her 'Mommy' if you don't want to; you can call her 'Tempe' if you want."

Temperance nodded in agreement. "I'm not trying to take your mommy's place, Parker," she explained. "Just like I'm not trying to take Katie and Hayley's mommy's place. But sometimes you just need to talk to someone other than your daddy; that's what I'll be here for."

"My mommy used to watch 'Dr. Quinn'," Parker stated seriously.

"Who's Dr. Quinn?" Temperance asked, confused. "Does he work here in DC?"

Seeley glanced at her incredulously, the girls stifled their giggles, and Parker glared at her for interrupting. "It's a TV show," he explained, as if that should have been the most obvious thing in the world.

"Parker, that's not nice; Dr. Brennan doesn't watch much television," Seeley rebuked gently. Turning to Brennan, he added, "'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman' was a show that ran for six seasons in the nineties, Bones. It was about a female doctor in the Colorado frontier just after the Civil War. Rebecca was a huge fan; had the entire series on DVD." He nudged Parker to continue his story.

"The first one was her fav'rite," Parker continued. "I watcheded it with her 'fore she went to Grandma's house. The mommy in that show died, too, and the kids had to stay with Dr. Mike," the child explained.

"I remember that one!" Katie announced. "Our mommy used to watch that show, too, and Hayley and I watched it with her. One of the kids asked if Dr. Mike thought his mommy would mind if he started calling _her _'Mommy'."

Parker nodded. "I don't wanna call Dr. Tempe-Bones 'Mommy' right now. But later, when I don't miss my Mommy so much, do you think she would mind if I started calling her 'Mommy'?" he asked his father.

Seeley glanced at Temperance again, who was wiping away the tears glistening at the corners of her eyes. "No, Parker, I don't think she'd mind. I think that's why your grandma said what she did. And when did you get so grown up?" He started tickling the tyke, who squirmed out of his grasp. "What happened to my little guy?"

"I growed up," the boy answered seriously.

Temperance started laughing at that, the expression on the child's face so priceless that she couldn't help herself. Booth glanced up at her and joined in her laughter.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later that day, Temperance was in her office at the lab, having come to collect the audio cassettes of the girls' interviews from Hodgins. She popped the first one into the player on her desk and sat down, listening.

"Can you give me your full name, please?" Dr. Jensen's voice filled the room.

"Katrina Marie Smithson," Katie's voice answered.

"And yours, for my report?"

"Dr. Jack Willard Hodgins."

_Willard?_ Temperance thought distractedly. _That's almost as bad as Zack's middle name Uriah_.

"Fine. Katrina, can you answer a few questions for me?"

"I already answered two, didn't I? And I go by Katie, not Katrina." Temperance heard a snort that she could only assume had come from Hodgins, and the sound of the psychiatrist clearing his throat.

"Yes, well…uh…_Katie_, how long have you been staying with Miss Brennan?"

"Her name is _Dr._ Brennan," Hodgins' voice corrected menacingly.

"Dr. Hodgins, it hardly has any bearing on the outcome of this interview whether I call her 'Dr.' or 'Miss'."

"Fine, _Mr. _Jensen." This time it was Katie's voice.

"Atta girl, Katie," Hodgins laughingly approved. "Listen, Mac. I'm sure you don't appreciate your title being so carelessly forgotten. And I _know_ Dr. Brennan dislikes being referred to as a 'miss'. It's degrading. You earned your title, didn't you?"

"Of course I did!"

"And how long did it take you to earn that title?"

"Four years of undergraduate and three years of post-graduate studies."

"That's it? Seven years? You want to know how long Dr. Brennan had to study before she was able to receive her doctorate? _Eight_ years. And that's because she worked fast; it normally takes ten to get the kinds of specialized degrees she carries. She earned her undergraduate degree in three and a half years, her Master's degree in two and a half years, and her doctorate in two years. So show her a little more respect."

Temperance heard a sigh. "Katie, how long have you lived with _Dr._ Brennan?"

"About a month."

"And in that time, has she or Agent Booth ever mistreated you?"

"No."

"Care to elaborate on that?"

"Elaborate?"

"Would you like to explain your answer?"

"Do you not understand what the word 'no' means?"

"Of course I understand what the word means! That's not what I was asking!"

"That's exactly what you asked. My answer was no, and you asked me to explain it. No means no, Dr. Jensen. They don't mistreat me. You need to buy a dictionary."

"Do you ever feel like they don't want you here?"

"No. In fact – see? I'm elaborating so you understand what 'no' means – Tempe told me after my mom died that she and Agent Booth wanted to keep Hayley and me."

"Tempe?"

Temperance heard an exaggerated sigh. "Yes, Tem-pe. As in Tem-per-ance Bren-nan," the child enunciated for the psychiatrist's sake.

"She told you this specifically?"

"What are you, deaf or something? I just said that, didn't I?"

"Are you always this troublesome, Katrina?"

Katie huffed. "Only with idiots like you."

"Does Dr. Brennan teach you this kind of language?"

"Nope…actually, my dad taught me that."

"Agent Booth? Really?"

"See? You really are an idiot. I said _my dad_, not Seeley. If I meant Seeley, I'd have said his name, now wouldn't I?"

"She's talking about her stepdad, Russ Brennan, who was Dr. Brennan's older brother," Temperance heard Hodgins explain.

"I see. Well, Katie, we're finished here. Why don't we go back out to the living room?" The tape went silent and, chuckling at Katie's behavior on the tape, Temperance switched to the one with Hayley's interview on it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"OK sweetheart, can you give me your whole name?" Dr. Murphy began her interview the same way Dr. Jensen had.

"Hayley Amelia Smithson," came Hayley's timid reply.

"And your name, for my records?"

"Angela Maya Montenegro."

"OK. Hayley, have you lived with Dr. Brennan for very long?"

"No, not very long. I can't remember, though."

"She and Katie went to visit Dr. Brennan on December 11," Temperance heard Angela supply.

"And do you like living with Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth?"

"Yeah. Tempe's really nice. She said her mommy died and left her, too, so she knows how Katie and I feel right now. And Agent Seeley is funny!"

"How is he funny?"

"He makes faces and tells jokes, and he makes fun of Tempe. But I don't think she cares, though."

"Do you ever feel threatened with Agent Booth around?"

"I don't know what that means."

"Does he ever make you feel scared?"

"No. He's really funny and nice. And Parker's cute, even if he _is_ only four."

"Has he ever brought out his gun?"

"Yes."

"He brought out his gun in front of you?"

"Uh-huh. He showed me and Katie and said that we were not to touch it because guns can kill people. He said that he is always wearing it, and when he's not wearing it, he keeps it hidden in a locked box, but he wouldn't tell us where or how to open the box so we wouldn't go and find the gun and take it out. Parker was there, too, but I think his daddy told him this before."

"Do Dr. Brennan or Agent Booth ever make you feel like they don't want you around?"

"Nope. Tempe's always really nice to us and trying to make us feel comf'table in her house. And Agent Seeley treats us like he treats Parker. Like we're his kids."

"Would you like to be his daughter one day, if he and Dr. Brennan adopt you?"

"Hmmm…maybe. I think it would be really nice to have both a mommy and a daddy. Daddy Russ was kind of my daddy but not really, 'cuz he didn't live with us. And I don't even 'member my real daddy."

"Tell me about Parker."

"He's cute. He's really smart, and he told me he wants to grow up and work with bones, like Tempe does."

"He wants to be a forensic anthropologist?"

"I guess. Is that what she is?"

"Yes. A forensic anthropologist."

"Agent Seeley calls her 'Bones'. But I don't think she cares."

Temperance heard Angela laugh. "She probably just got used to it, sweetie. She used to hate it."

"What do you want to be when you grow up, Hayley?" Dr. Murphy redirected the conversation.

"Hmmm…a artist, like Miss Angie!"

"Sounds like a plan. Are you ready to go back out to the others?"

"Yep." The tape went silent again, and Temperance reached over to switch it off. As she left the office to head back out to the lab area, she mused on the very different interviewing styles of the two psychiatrists. Making a mental note to speak the State Psychiatric Board about Dr. Jensen's treatment of Katie, she ascended the stairs to the catwalk, where Jack and Angela were waiting.

"Kinda weird, huh?" Jack asked, grinning.

"Is it me, or is that guy Jensen just-"

"A complete asshole? It's not just you."

"I have to say, I'm proud of Katie for handling him the way she did," Angela stated, standing up.

"Oh, she was awesome!" Hodgins announced excitedly. "It took all my strength to keep from laughing out loud."

"And even that wasn't enough at some moments," Temperance remarked wryly.

"So what are you and the family doing for dinner?" Angela asked, as the trio headed down the stairs and toward the door.

"Ugh, dinner. I completely forgot! I'll probably just stop at Wong Foo's on the way home and pick something up."

"We'll do you one better," Jack offered. "Why don't you let us pick up a movie or two and the Wong Foo's, and we'll meet back at your apartment in an hour?"

"You know, this dinner and a movie night is turning into a weekly event with us," Temperance observed.

"Yeah, wouldn't it be great if we really made it a weekly date night?" Angela asked. "I mean, think about ten years down the line, you'll have Katie, who'll be almost 19; Hayley, who'll be 16; Parker, who'll be 14; plus whatever future children you and that hunky piece of FBI standard-issue body armor of yours decide to have; and there'll be me and Jack and any kids we might have."

"I'd really appreciate it if you wouldn't keep referring to Seeley that way," Temperance requested, pulling her car keys out of her purse.

"Why, too cheap?"

"No…because I'd like to keep his head around the size that it'll continue to fit through the front door. See you guys in an hour." She climbed into her Mercedes and turned the ignition, glancing behind her in the process, before heading out of the parking garage with a smile and a wave.

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A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, and I know I'm saying that a lot recently, but it's true. I tried, really I did, but I've had the flu the last week or so and just haven't had the energy or inclination to write. For those of you also reading _Follow the Pink Road_, I hope to finally have the next chapter up in the next day or two. Thanks for all the patience!


	19. A New House and a Birthday Party

Unknown beedee: I'm sure it does suck to be the bearers of bad news so often, but don't worry; I'm planning that telling Parker that Rebecca is dead should be the last bit of bad news they have to give for a while anyway.

Ilovebuttfacedmiscreants: Rebecca didn't die, but she wants Parker to believe she did because she can't take him with her.

TrueRomantic: I wanted to showcase how well Katie's been adapting to living with Temperance in the way she is beginning to talk like her. And yes, cold and flu season sucks, but unfortunately mine went way out of control. I am feeling better now, by the way, thank you.

Bubble Sheep: I made her sound like Temperance purposely. Well, our Bones season here is ending shortly; I think they mentioned two more episodes, but I may be mistaken. This season didn't seem as long as it should; they kept stopping it for American Idol.

BonesDBChippie: Don't worry about missing the last couple of weeks; you're married with children. I don't have personal experience in the amount of time that takes, but I can imagine. And yeah, can't you just see Katie as a little miniature Bones? I totally see it!

EternalConfusion: I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far; reviews are always welcome, and keep the creative juices flowing faster than anything else would.

VikingJedi: It's always great when a writer hears that their visualization skills are good enough that the reader can _see_ the action happening in their mind's eye as they read it.

Mrs MalContent: I write my chapters out at work when we have downtime, then tend to review them later. Unfortunately – especially the last few chapters – I just haven't had the time or the inclination to proofread the way I should. If you'd like to beta, I'm always happy to accept the help. And I'm flattered you see my little story as a possible storyline for the show.

AkaJB: That must have taken you some time, to read the whole story at once…some of my chapters – especially the first several – tend to be a little on the long side. Anyhow, I'm glad you like the interactions between the characters; I always thought that Hodgins, Angela, Booth, and Bones would tend to hang out more once they were coupled off. And Cam doesn't strike me as the type to get all snippy when Booth and Brennan got together. Which is another reason I gave her a boyfriend, too, so I could showcase that she has the potential to move on.

A/N: I know, I know…It's been _months_ since I've updated. I'm sorry…you might remember in my last update that I said I hadn't been feeling well? Well, my cold turned into a flu, which turned into Pneumonia, which turned into Bronchitis. My Bronchitis was then coupled with a sinus infection that later turned into an ear infection. I have been doped up on medications for the past two months, and if I never see the inside of a doctor's office again it will be too soon, but I think I've finally bested it and am happily on the mend, thank goodness. So, once I was feeling up to it, I went to the computer and click, click, type, type, produced this chapter. Not much happens in it, but I will re-acquaint myself with the story and continue the action in my next chapter. Happy reading! Desiree

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January 8, 2007

"This one looks nice," Temperance observed, glancing up at the white Victorian house in front of them – the fifth house they had toured that day. "I like the green trim."

"The price in this thing can't be right," Seeley remarked, studying the home catalog he was holding then looking back up at the house itself. "Fair market value for this house must be at least a hundred and fifty thousand more than what they're selling it for."

"Wonder what's wrong with it, then," Tempe muttered, poking her head around the bushes to see inside the building. Unfortunately, all the inside shades were drawn.

Seeley chuckled. "Oh, don't worry, Bones; I can fix whatever problem this house has, so long as the materials can be found."

Temperance glared at him. "Just make sure that whatever repairs need to be completed are done within the next 57 days. Remember, that's how long we have until-" She was cut off by the arrival of the realtor: a tall, skinny man in his mid-forties, Temperance guessed.

"Hi! Sorry I'm late. I'm Harrison Grafter, and you must be the Booths."

Seeley shook the man's hand and corrected him on their names before commenting, "Nice house you got here. How long has it been on the market?"

Harrison went to unlock the door, allowing Temperance and Seeley to precede him into the house, answering, "About two and a half years. The owner just can't seem to find anyone interested enough to buy it."

"I can't imagine why," Temperance commented, taking in the gleaming cherry foyer floor and polished mahogany stair rail. "It's beautifully kept."

"Would you like to see the rest of it?" At the couple's nod, Harrison led them through the foyer and down a short hallway, chatting the entire way. "The house is actually four floors: a two-story house with a fully-finished attic and basement. The attic was finished about ten years ago to be a play area for the owner's children, and the basement was finished also, as a rec room and indoor movie theater. I'll show you what I mean when we get there."

They entered a room with cream paint that was obviously the living room. There was a giant granite fireplace with a marble mantle that dominated one wall and a soft carpet in a slightly deeper shade of cream than the walls.

The next room, the family room, was painted in white with a tan carpet. This room had a woodstove rather than a fireplace and a sliding-glass door leading to the back patio. Seeley opened the door and glanced out, taking in the brick patio with a full outdoor kitchen, pool, and an extended yard, leading out to a lake that was frozen over.

Next was the kitchen, with dark blue and white tiles in the floor, and a softer blue covering the walls. Near the ceiling, Temperance noticed the seashell border and smiled, recalling her mother's kitchen decorated in a similar theme. The counters were blue slate, which was a great material for spills, leaving hot pots on the counter, and for cutting directly on the countertop. _A good thing for a busy, two-income household with three kids_, Temperance thought wryly. Off to the side, there was an empty space that was obviously a breakfast nook surrounded on three sides with glass, affording a great view of the lake, woods, and cherry trees on the side of the house.

The next room, the dining room, was much more formal than the kitchen had been. It had oak flooring and molding on the baseboards and in the four corners of the room and surrounding the ceiling. Two chandeliers hung down in the middle of the room, ostensibly to provide light over the table that should be there.

The next room could easily become Temperance's favorite. It had a mahogany floor and wall paneling, and bookshelves covered three walls, interspersed on two with floor-to-ceiling windows, affording a view of the gardens and woods. The fourth wall sported a wide, full-hearth fireplace with a mahogany mantle.

The last room on this floor was a small half-bath at the end of the hallway. Mr. Grafter led them through a door under the staircase that led down to the basement. At the foot of the staircase, he flipped on a switch and Seeley and Temperance entered, glancing around.

One end of the large room occupied a wall-sized screen surrounded by ten black leather couches with built-in cup holders. Behind the couches, mounted on the ceiling, was a projector. Mr. Grafter moved aside what looked to be a plain wall panel, but revealed a hidden entertainment system, complete with DVD changer, stereo, and CD changer. Seeley, wondering why the previous owners would leave such a set-up, inspected the couches and found that they were bolted to the ground. The rest of the room consisted of a wet bar and a pool table.

Temperance watched Seeley examine the room, smiled, and shook her head. She knew that in his alpha-male tendencies, he had already dubbed this "his" room. That was just fine with her; he could have the rec room if she could have the library upstairs.

They headed back up to the entryway and up the stairs to the second level. This floor was the living quarters and consisted of the master suite, four additional bedrooms, two additional bathrooms, two linen closets, and a home office that overlooked the living room.

The fourth and final floor was in reality the attic that had been fully finished and fitted up as a playroom for the previous owner's children. It was large, well-lit, and provided spectacular views of the backyard marsh and the woods. Temperance and Seeley glanced at each other for a moment before silently reaching an agreement. Before they could impart their decision to the real-estate agent, however, Booth needed to clear something up.

"Mr. Grafter, the price listed for this home can't possibly be right," he broached.

Grafter glanced down at the catalog and sighed, nodding. "Yes, it's right. Shall I tell you why it's so low?" At the couple's nod, he continued. "I'm sure you're aware, Agent Booth, of the Riley murders that happened approximately three years ago?"

Booth nodded, but Temperance looked confused. "Riley murders?" she asked, glancing between the two men.

Booth nodded, remembering that Temperance had been in Guatemala at the time and therefore would not have heard the story. "About three years ago, Charles Riley – a pilot for PanAm – came home from a three-day trip to Seattle to find his wife murdered in their living room. Panicked, he ran through the house, looking for his three children. He finally found them in their attic. They had been murdered as well, the same way their mother had been."

"This was their house," Temperance stated slowly, turning back to look at Grafter, who nodded.

"And the scene of their deaths," he added. "Captain Riley continued living here for a few months, but eventually the memories were just too painful and he left, transferring out of state. Unfortunately, people are superstitious about living in a home where someone has been…" he trailed off.

Temperance and Seeley glanced at each other again and nodded. "We'll take it," they announced simultaneously.

After they had completed the initial paperwork and the three were headed to their respective cars, Temperance turned back and addressed the agent. "Was the Riley killer ever found?" she asked, tilting her head to the side and squinting.

Grafter shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. Mr. Riley tried for a year, but eventually leads just ran out and the case went cold. Why do you ask, Dr. Brennan?"

She pulled a card out of her pocket and jotted down a number on it. "This is my business card," she explained, handing it to him. "It has my work extension on it, and I've written down my cell phone number. If Mr. Riley still wants justice done for his wife and children, have him give me a call. He will, of course, have to give consent for exhumation, as well."

Grafter glanced at the card, then stared back up at the anthropologist. "Do you really think you can succeed where the FBI failed?"

"I can personally vouch for the fact that she's the best there is," Booth shouted from the SUV. "I've seen her figure a case out from nothing more than bone dust trapped in an air vent."

Grafter hesitated before nodding. "I'll talk to him about it," he promised.

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January 10, 2007

"So, you didn't even bother to make an offer on the house and wait to see if it was accepted?" Hodgins asked Booth Monday afternoon, as they hung up balloons and streamers in the scientist's rec room. He had offered to host Katie's birthday party, since Temperance's apartment wouldn't comfortably hold the people that were coming.

"The price of the house is already so low that we really couldn't expect to go any lower," Booth replied defensively. "Besides, Bones doesn't have the patience or the know-how to haggle, and we _do_ have to be moved in at the end of two months, so waiting just isn't an option."

"Well, Angela and I will do whatever we can to help you guys," Jack offered amiably, climbing down from his stepladder.

Booth chuckled. "That's great, since I'm pretty sure that Temperance is in the kitchen now, asking Angela to paint the kids' bedrooms next week while we're going through Amy's house." Seeley glanced at his watch and headed to grab his keys. "I gotta go. Bones invited a couple of Katie and Hayley's friends from Virginia for the party and paid for their train tickets. I promised I'd pick them up from the station."

"How long are they staying?" Hodgins asked.

"Just the night. Their parents only said yes on the understanding that the girls would be headed back tomorrow morning, since they have school this week." Booth left, passing a confused Zack and Dr. Goodman on the way out.

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"Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday, Dear Katie! Happy Birthday to You!" sang the group as Temperance brought out a cake in the shape of the horse in _Black Beauty_. She had discovered a few weeks previously that Katie had a soft spot for horses, and since the girl had received a copy of the book for Christmas, she thought it would be especially fitting.

Katie obediently made a wish and blew out the candles, then Temperance began slicing the cake and handing out pieces. Seeley was recording the party with Hayley perched on his shoulders, and Parker was helping Temperance hand out slices of cake. Hodgins and Angela began bringing the presents from the entry table and piling them next to Katie, to be opened once she had finished her cake.

Overall, it wasn't a very large group: Dr. and Mrs. Goodman and their youngest daughter – a ten-year old that had taken an instant liking to Katie – had come, along with Zack, his girlfriend Jessica, Cam, and Andrew. Also, Katie had invited three girls from her new class, and Temperance had surprised her by inviting two of her old friends from Virginia.

"Dr. Brennan, you have to tell me the name of the bakery you used; this cake is fabulous," Mrs. Goodman announced, helping Temperance clear away the remaining cake to make room for the presents.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it; the owner's actually a friend of Angela's," Temperance replied, placing the cleared plates into the dishwasher. "She specializes in flavor combinations and such. Her bakery is located on Chester Street; I'll give you the name and the address after the party."

Later, after the pile of books, games, toys, and hair accessories had been opened, admired, and stacked near the door, Temperance brought out one more surprise. "OK, Katie, I know I said we wouldn't be able to go to see 'Beauty and the Beast' until this summer, but I pulled a few strings with a friend of mine in the New York Theater District, and she sent me a copy of the opening night performance from Broadway."

As the kids cheered and scrambled to sit in front of the television, Temperance placed the DVD in the player and settled next to Booth, who threw his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. "Nice work," he whispered, grinning.

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"Well, Katie, did you enjoy your birthday?" Temperance asked the next morning, as she drove the kids to school. She had woken the girls up extra early this morning to see their friends off to the train station, and had returned to the apartment to pick up Parker before heading to the school.

"It was awesome, Tempe!" the girl shouted. "Thanks for inviting Samantha and Brynne up, too. How did you know they were my best friends?"

Temperance ruffled Katie's hair. "Well, your sister told me, of course!"

Hayley nodded in agreement. "Yep! Tempe asked me last week if you had any friends that you might want to have come to your birthday party, and then asked for their last names so she could find their phone numbers."

Brennan pulled into the driveway of the elementary school and kissed each of the girls as the teacher came and opened their doors. "Have a good day at school, girls!" she called before turning her attention in the rearview to Parker. "Well, Bub, what do you say we get you to preschool, huh?"

At the boy's enthusiastic nod, she grinned and turned the Mercedes in the direction of the preschool. She thought for a moment about how domestic her life had become and grinned once again, fingering the chain around her neck. She wouldn't have her life any other way.

Once she dropped Parker off at school and had wished him a good day, she headed in the opposite direction of the lab. An idea had come to her, and she had to test her theory. She called Angela and let her know that she might be a little late.


	20. Cleaning Memories

Trinitystargazer3: Sounds like your aunt was just about as sick as I was. Thanks for the well-wishes, by the way. I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and I loved the house, too.

Angelique-anja: Yeah, a really bad run of bad luck sounds about right. I'm glad you're enjoying the story; keep reading, the action will pick back up soon.

Ruby Stew: You sound like I do when I find a story I enjoy; I don't stop for anything until the story is completely read.

LiTTleMiSSmOOny: The library would be my favorite room, too. The house I described was actually modeled after a house that my family and I lived in when I was growing up. I loved it so much that I incorporated it into my story.

Khitie Ethrin: I'm glad I can brighten up your day, even if it just a little bit with a chapter of my story at a time.

RiddicksFoxyLady: I'm glad you enjoy my story so much that you would be up at such a time to read it, and I'm sorry you were disappointed that there wasn't more finished when you read it. Hopefully the updates will come more frequently in the future.

Tamari: I know…I noticed those, too. But my story is slightly AU because of the McVicar thing anyhow, so I just had her buried in her car, then bought a new one later: a Mercedes with a back seat.

Liz86000: I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much that you are on your knees while tapping…that's quite impressive, and very flattering. Anyhow, here's the much-anticipated Chapter 20.

Mumrulz: Here it is, as promised. Sorry it's so short, but apparently my work changed my schedule without telling me and I was supposed to be at work at 2, not 6. So I am going to be two hours late for work, just to get this out when I told you I would. There should be another chap out soon, but I won't say when, since I don't know exactly.

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get the chapter out. It was really hard for me to write this chapter, because I didn't know exactly what I wanted to say or how I wanted to say it. Anyway, it would have been longer (in fact, it SHOULD have been), but a mix-up at work and I have to dash off. Anyhow, hope you enjoy!

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January 12, 2007

The two cars pulled up to the pink-and-white clapboard house and were turned off. Booth and Brennan had decided that, since they were going to be packing boxes and things from Amy's house and Russ' apartment, that they would be better off bringing both cars. Temperance pulled the key out of her ignition before exiting her Mercedes and climbing into the backseat to unbuckle Parker from his booster seat. The girls had ridden with Booth in the SUV, loving the view from the windows of the taller car.

The drive down to Richmond had been uneventful, the trip broken by only one quick stop for lunch around one before the family had piled back into the cars and continued their journey. Now, standing outside the house, the girls hid their faces in Booth's side, trying to master their tears, while Parker clung to Temperance's neck.

"Well, we're not going to get anything done standing out here," Bones announced. "We may as well go inside and see what needs to be done." She pulled the small keychain she had retrieved from the safety-deposit box just half an hour earlier, and inserted the key into the lock. It turned easily, and the door swung open.

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Six hours later, Temperance and Booth were finishing up the last boxes from the living room and kitchen. They had decided that all the furniture in the house would be donated to Goodwill, along with the small appliances in the kitchen and Amy's personal articles. The girls were in their bedrooms, packing up their toys and books and the remainder of their clothing, and Parker was assigned to put all of Amy's clothes from her dresser into boxes.

"How are we coming, kids?" Booth shouted down the hallway. "Almost done?"

"I'm all done, Daddy!" Parker announced, running into the room. "But Katie and Hayley are still working on theirs. I think Katie's almost done, though."

"Parker, can you go see if you can help Hayley finish up while Daddy and I carry all the boxes to the living room?" Temperance asked, ruffling the boy's curls.

The boy grinned. "Sure, Dr. Tempe-Bones!" he shouted, running off.

It wasn't long before the girls had their personal knick-knacks and clothing boxed up. Temperance and Booth moved all the furniture to the living room, and the family left the house, piling the various boxes they were keeping into the SUV.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next day, Temperance entered Russ's apartment on her own. Booth and the kids had gone to the realtor's office to put Amy's house on the market and were overseeing the hauling away of the donated personal effects. They were also arranging with the Goodwill to be ready to pick up Russ's things when Temperance called that she was finished.

Brennan worked steadily through the living room, kitchen, and bathroom, leaving the two bedrooms for last. She entered the spare room and gasped, tears coming to her eyes. Obviously, her father had used this room whenever he had visited. Photos covered every flat surface, as well as three of the walls. Photos of her and Russ as children and teenagers; photos of the four of them before her parents had left; photos of Russ, Amy, and the girls; photos of Temperance as an adult. There were even a few photos of Temperance in front of different foster homes and several taken walking to or from classes at the various stages of her college career.

The two that shocked her the most, though, were of her and Seeley. The first one was after her first confrontation with McVicar: she was crying and Seeley had his arms wrapped around her, comforting her as she insisted she was Dr. Temperance Brennan, daughter of Matthew and Christine Brennan, a high school science teacher and a bookkeeper. The photo was obviously taken with a high-powered telephoto lens, facing into the barn from outside the back door. The second was taken just after Zack received his PhD. She and Booth were standing outside the diner, smiling at each other. Booth had his hand on her shoulder and was saying that he and the Squint Squad were her family.

Temperance realized two things with the discovery of the photographs: her father had been keeping track of her ever since he left when she was fifteen, and he and Russ had come back to this apartment at least once after they left the second time. Probably to pack Russ's things when they went underground.

She placed all the photos carefully into a large box, wrapping each one with newspaper. She also placed his science texts in a box to be taken back to the new house. She packed up his remaining clothing and the bedclothes and hauled them out to the living room to be picked up by Goodwill. Returning to the bedroom to place the lamps and alarm clock in boxes also to be picked up, she glanced under the bed and noticed a large, flat box. She pulled it out, reading her name scrawled across the top in her father's bold handwriting.

She opened the box and took out the envelope sitting on the top. It also had her name written in her father's handwriting, and had a hard lump sitting in one corner. Opening the envelope, she flipped it over and a silver ring with an ornate design came tumbling out. She picked it up and placed it on the bedside table after studying it for a moment. She pulled out the two pieces of paper and unfolded them, wondering what her father had to say to her.

_Honey,_

_I suppose, if you are reading this letter, I must be dead. Since I have a moment now, however, I want to explain a few things to you. I also want to apologize to you; I know I wasn't the greatest father on the planet, and you deserved better._

_You must be wondering about the ring, and telling yourself that you have no reason to believe a fugitive that murdered the Deputy Director of the FBI. The man (and I use that term in the loosest possible sense) was a rat. He had lied and stepped on people to get into the position he held, and was going to kill you for no reason other than being my daughter. _

_I apologize for that, as well. Your mother and I thought we would be protecting you and Russ if we left. Instead, it brought you into more danger._

_Anyway, about the ring: it belonged to your mother. It's a family heirloom, passed down to the eldest daughter in the family. It belonged to your grandmother and great-grandmother, given to her by her husband on her birthday one year. Your mother would have been able to give the history of the ring so much better than I am now. _

_I know we always told you and Russ that you had no other family, but that was said only to protect you. On your mother's side you have two aunts and a grandmother. If you go to them, show them the ring, they'll know you're Ruth's daughter, and they'll let you into the family. As for me, your mother was the only family I ever knew. And you and Russ, and now Amy, Katie, and Hayley._

_In the box that you found this letter, you will also find a jewelry box, some clothing, and a tape. It's all for you. The jewelry box holds the remainder of your mother's jewelry. Necklaces, earrings, rings, and a watch I gave her the day you were born. It also holds your mother's wedding set, as well as my wedding ring and a key. The key is for a safety deposit box in Baltimore. Your mother's wedding dress and our wedding pictures are in there, with an envelope holding your and Russ's birth certificates and your baby pictures. Don't ask how we got those things; it's better that you don't know._

_The clothing was your mother's. I don't know what you want to do with them; I could never bring myself to donate or throw them away. The tape is a message for you from your mother. I don't know what's on it; she would never tell me what she said and, respecting her wishes, never watched it after she died._

_So that's it: the entire legacy left to you by your parents. Remember something, though, baby, before you completely scoff at our remnants. Whatever your mother and I did, we did it with the purpose of protecting you and your brother. It may have been wrong, but we did it because we loved you. We always will._

_Love,_

_Dad_

Temperance wiped the tears from her cheeks, placed the letter back into its envelope, and turned her attention to the remaining contents of the box. Specifically, to the tape from her mother. Debating with herself for a few minutes, she finally took the tape out to the living room, plugged in the television and hooked the VCR up, and popped in the tape. There was some fumbling with the recorder for a moment, before the screen settled down and her mother walked into view.

_"Hi, Temperance. It's Mom. Today is your sixteenth birthday. I wish I could be there to share all the things a mother is supposed to share with her daughter when she turns sixteen…"_ Temperance sat, crying more steadily through the entire message. She listened to her mother's explanation of the ring, and to the plea for her to forgive her father. _"…Remember something: you were cherished in this world. What I did may have been wrong, but I did it out of love. I did it out of love."_

Brennan wiped her eyes once more before rewinding the tape, taking it out of the VCR, and unhooking the television and VCR. She returned the tape to the box it had come out of and took the box out to her car, along with the box of photos from her father's room. She headed back to Russ's room, packed all his clothes and bedclothes into boxes and placed them in the living room. All the photos taken out of Russ's room and the rest of the house, she placed into yet another box and took it out to her car.

She gave Booth a call, asking him to send the men to do the pick-up for Goodwill, made one last sweep of the apartment to be sure she hadn't missed anything, and left, leaving the door ajar. She returned the key to the manager's office before climbing into her car and returning to the hotel she, Booth, and the kids were staying at.


	21. Surprising the kids, and Seeley Booth

Don'tCallMeBones: Yeah, I'm sorry it took so long to get this new chapter out. Hopefully, in the future, it won't take me as long to get updates posted. Hope you enjoy this new addition!

ETHELKANE: Wow, you read 20 chapters in one sitting? Sounds like me when I'm into a story; I'm flattered that my story is that captivating for you.

Seeleysangel: Thanks for the compliment about character development. It's always nice when readers appreciate the way you're trying to take the characters in a story!

Mishelle20: I'm glad you are enjoying this story so much; it's nice to know there are always new readers interested in my stories.

BGWGscienceteacher: I'm glad you enjoy the story so much. It's been a lot of fun writing it, as well. Hopefully, people will continue to enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

Moosemer11: OK, here is the update, as promised! With my school and work schedules settling down, hopefully I can sit myself down and make myself a schedule to work on each of my stories so I can go less time between updates for each story.

GoldenLocks: I'm honored and flattered that mine was the first story for Bones you had read, _and_ that you had read it all in one sitting! No, I would never give up on my story, it just slid away from me for a little bit, but it is coming back now, and hopefully will stay back with me.

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January 13, 2007

"Are you OK, Honey?" Seeley asked Temperance later that night, after they had gotten the kids to sleep. Since they were all sleeping in the same little room at the hotel, Seeley had pulled her onto the balcony so they could talk without disturbing their kids.

"I'll be fine, Booth," she sighed, leaning back against his chest. "It was hard for me to go through my dad's things today, but I'm glad I got the chance to do it. It gave me a little more insight into my parents' lives."

"Are you still mad at them for leaving you?" He watched her finger the chain around her neck, and his heart gave a little thrill when she pulled the ring out from under her blouse and began studying it.

"Not mad anymore, just…sad. And confused. I love my parents, I know that, but how do I reconcile that with what they did? They were bank robbers, fugitives. My dad was a murderer." She said the last word so softly that Seeley had to strain to hear her.

"He never killed anybody that didn't deserve it, though," Seeley answered lamely.

"Nobody deserves to be murdered, Seeley." She twisted in his arms so she could study his face. "And how can you say that, anyway? He murdered - gutted, crucified, and torched – the Deputy Director of the FBI: your boss."

"Actually, Kirby was my boss' boss' boss." At her unamused gaze, he rolled his eyes. "Yes, he did. And as much as I hate to say it because he _was_ your father, I'm glad it was him that did it, and not me." Her head shot up at that last statement and she took in his dark look.

"You're not seriously suggesting that you would have…that's crazy, Seeley!"

"No, Bones, it's not crazy. I understand where your father was coming from; I'm a father myself." He turned her so she was looking inside the sliding glass door, to the kids who were sprawled on the sofa bed. "If anyone – and I do mean _anyone_ – comes after any one of those three kids the way Robert Kirby came after you and Russ, he'd be a dead man, too."

Temperance studied him for a moment, then nodded briefly. "That makes sense," she allowed.

He gave her a confused look. "It does?"

"Yes. I love the kids, too, and I'd want to protect them at all costs from whatever danger there might be coming after them." She grabbed his hand and tugged. "Come on, Booth…we have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow; we should get some sleep. Not to mention that you and the kids have Mass to go to before we leave."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

January 14, 2007

"What a day!" Booth announced as he, Brennan, and the kids let themselves into Brennan's apartment the next night.

"More like what a weekend," Temperance grumbled, hoisting Parker higher on her hip so she could reach for the light switch. Once everyone was inside, Temperance sent the kids off to their rooms to put their backpacks away and to get their homework ready to work on after supper.

Booth left the apartment to bring the various bags and boxes up from the cars, while Temperance headed to the kitchen to see what she could start for dinner. Recalling something that Booth had mentioned about a restaurant he had never visited but had heard good things of, she rummaged around in her cupboards until she found what she was looking for: two pounds of elbow macaroni. She also gathered together some butter, flour, pancetta, heavy cream, gruyere cheese, asparagus, and whole nutmeg.

Half an hour later, Booth was bringing the last box through the front door, the kids were in the living room deciding on a movie to watch before dinner, and Brennan was popping the last of the individual serving dishes into the oven. She set the timer for forty-five minutes, poured herself and Booth a glass of Chardonnay, and headed out to the living room. The kids had decided to watch "Homeward Bound", so Seeley took his glass of wine from Temperance and settled on a corner of the couch. Temperance snuggled beside him, and the family started the movie.

Just as Sassy the Cat was getting sucked down the river, the timer on the oven dinged. Temperance got up to check on the dinner, while Booth shut off the movie and the kids began to set the table. Booth went to help in the kitchen, just in time to see Brennan pulling the first serving of macaroni and cheese out of the oven. He pulled out the sheet of roasted asparagus and moved the spears onto a serving platter and placed them on the table. Temperance dished the kids' macaroni onto their plates so they wouldn't burn themselves with hot serving dishes, then handed Katie the plates one at a time so she could place them on the table.

After dinner was finished and the dishes had been done, Temperance and Seeley glanced at each other and sighed. Family meetings had been a fairly regular event the last several weeks, and they were both getting kind of tired of it. "Kids, can Seeley and I talk to you for a second?" Temperance asked, turning her attention to the three children standing in front of her.

"Sure, Dr. Tempe-Bones!" Parker announced, running into the living room and taking a seat on "his" side of the sofa. Temperance perched herself on the arm next to him, Katie sat on the other side of Parker, and Booth sat on the coffee table, pulling Hayley into his lap.

"What's wrong, you guys?" Katie asked, eyeing the two adults warily.

"Nothing, Sweetheart," Seeley soothed, patting her knee to reassure her. "Temperance and I just want to talk about some things with the three of you."

"Someone else didn't die, did they?" Hayley asked, her little face going white at the thought. Temperance ran into the bathroom to get the girl's medication, returning in time to hear Booth's answer.

"No, although I don't blame you for thinking that; it seems the five of us have come across a lot of sadness the last month, huh?" At Hayley's nod, Katie piped up.

"You guys are scaring me. What else could be so important that you would call _another_ family meeting, in exactly the same way you did when you told us that-" She broke off when Temperance came around the couch and settled beside her.

"Relax, Katie. What Seeley and I have to tell you is not bad, but it does require that he and I talk to you before making any big decisions. OK?"

The kids glanced around at one another before all nodding. "OK, Seeley. We'll listen," Katie answered for all of them.

Temperance and Seeley grinned. "Good," Booth replied. "Bones and I know that you guys just spent the entire past weekend packing up boxes and cleaning out homes, but we aren't done yet."

At the kids' groans, Temperance took over. "As you know, Katie and Hayley's case worker has given us a certain amount of time to get ourselves situated into a new house, and we only have less than two months to get moved in and settled."

"But two months is a _really_ long time, Tempe," Hayley protested. "Why do we have to worry about this now?"

Temperance sighed, then thought of a way to put it in a perspective the kids could understand. "Hayley, do you think you've lived with me for a really long time?" At the girl's head shake _no_, she continued. "You and Katie came here on December 11. That's more than one month ago. And tomorrow, it will be one month exactly since Agent Booth and Parker have been living with us."

"Yikes!" Hayley's eyes went wide at the statement, as did Katie's and Parker's. "It's _not_ a long time, then!"

"No, it's not, and we still have a lot to do," Seeley explained. "We have to pack up this apartment, and Parker and I will pack up my apartment."

"Are we gonna pack up Mommy's house, too, Daddy?" Parker asked, his lower lip quivering and his eyes threatening to pool over with tears.

"No, Bub. Grandma's gonna do that, and keep your stuff at her house for when you visit her."

"But don't we need to find a house to move into first?" Katie asked, as if pointing out the obvious. Temperance and Seeley burst out laughing.

"That's right; I guess with all the excitement between Katie's birthday party, and packing up Russ and Amy's things, we forgot to tell you kids that Seeley and I already found a house and bought it," Temperance replied, holding up a manila envelope from Grafter's office that Seeley had brought in from the mailbox earlier. "Unless I miss my guess, this is the deed to the house. Grafter gave us the keys last week when we signed the papers."

"And Tempe asked Angela to paint your bedrooms this weekend while we were in Richmond," Booth added, eyes twinkling.

At his announcement, all three kids perked up. "Really?" Katie asked. "Can we go see it? Can we, please?" All the kids were pleading with them now, and disappointment filled their eyes when they noticed Brennan shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, you guys. I know how much you want to see what Angela has done for you, but she told me that the paint has to have 48 hours to dry before we can safely go in there. But, I'll tell you what: Wednesday, Booth and I will pick you all up from school, and we can go take a look at the house and the grounds. Is that a deal?"

When he saw the kids nodding enthusiastically, Booth piped up. "Speaking of school," he bellowed, eliciting more groans from the kids, "you should probably go get your homework and sit at the table to finish it. Katie, you have to study for your spelling test tomorrow. Hayley, you have addition and subtraction to learn. And Parker, you have to work on your phonics workbook. After you're done, bring your homework to me or to Tempe and we'll sign it. We'll finish watching the movie once everyone is done and baths and showers are finished, too."

Wanting to see what happened to Sassy after she fell in the river, the kids scrambled to do as they were bid and for the next half hour, the only sounds in the house were those of pencils scratching on paper, and Temperance typing out an outline for the next chapter of her book.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

January 16, 2007

"This place is _awesome_!" Katie announced as they finished their tour of the ground floor. Temperance and Seeley had already shown them the basement, and the five headed up the stairs to see what miracle Angela had wrought in the bedrooms.

She didn't disappoint.

The first bedroom door they opened was situated next to the upstairs office, and it was obviously painted with the idea that it would be the guest room. The furthest away from the master suite, Temperance and Seeley had planned it that way and had informed Angela what they had wanted. The walls were painted in a soft butternut color, with a brown-and-cream wall border near the ceiling on all four walls. The border had an intricate, wrought-iron-type design that Temperance and Seeley thought would work well with both male and female guests.

The first bathroom connected the guest bedroom to what would be Katie's room. The walls were painted in yellow, with various daisies, dahlias, and pansies stenciled in a pattern over the yellow. Wood paneling rose halfway up the walls, and were painted in sage green, and the floor had even been re-tiled to match the same sage color. A green-and-yellow floral curtain was hung around the shower, and a yellow floral rug, toilet seat cover, and tank cover were in place, as well. Photographs of various yellow flowers on green backgrounds were mounted in various places and a green floral toothbrush holder, plastic cup, and soap dispenser set was situated around one of the two sinks, with a yellow floral set around the other. Two bath caddies – one yellow and one sage green – were placed in the tub and completed the look.

Before asking her opinion, Temperance led the girl into her new bedroom to gauge her reaction there, first.

Again, Angela – and apparently, Jack – had outdone themselves. The ceiling and the top third of the walls were painted a pale, sky blue. A few wisps of white indicated that it was, indeed, supposed to look like a sky. The carpeting had been stripped away to reveal hardwood floors, completely sanded and stained a dark brown. A couple of green shag rugs were placed to match the green paint along the bottom third of the walls, but it was the remainder of the room that took Brennan's breath away.

With the top areas obviously sky, and the bottom areas obviously intending to resemble dirt and grass, Angela had painted the walls to look like a pasture. Filled with horses. Several life-sized horses were painted into the foreground, with several more in the background, indicating depth of field. The entire room gave the illusion that one was actually outside, watching a bunch of horses graze.

A new bed, made with a dark wood, and with drawers underneath and a canopy above, was designed to look like a corral, placed between two of the life-sized horses. A desk and chair set, a bookcase, a dresser, a nightstand, and an entertainment center made of the same wood as the bed were also included.

"This is way cool!" Katie breathed, taking in the bedroom.

"I like Katie's room, but can I see mine now?" Parker interrupted, gazing at one of the horses.

"Sure thing, Bub," Temperance replied, taking the boy's hand. "But first, let's see Hayley's room, since it's closest. It's right across the hall."

The family trooped into Hayley's room and, again, was taken aback at the detail included. The theme here was Disney Princesses. The ceiling and floor – with the exception that Hayley's floor was stained a light color – were the same as in Katie's room, but the setting was different. A giant painting of Cinderella's castle dominated one side of the room, and the white-and-pink canopied bed set that extended from it was designed to look like a part of the castle, complete with turrets and towers. Along the other three walls, life-size images of several princesses made you feel as if you were walking among them in the gardens. Jasmine, Cinderella, and Aurora were along one wall, with Belle and Pocahontas flanking the window, and Snow White, Mulan, and Ariel were painted on the sliding closet doors.

Just as in Katie's room, there was a desk and chair set, a dresser, a nightstand, and a bookcase that matched the bed were placed strategically around the room, but there was no entertainment center here.

"Ooh, it's pretty!" Hayley shrieked, running around the room and taking in the details of each aspect of her new room. Once she had satisfied her curiosity, the group trooped into the bathroom that connected her room to Parker's.

The bathroom was decorated identically to Katie's, but with a pink, blue, and white theme. The walls were blue with pink and white flowers, and the wood paneling was painted white. There was a blue shag set around the toilet, and a white shower curtain with pink and blue flowers. Framed photos of pink and blue flowers on white backgrounds were hung on the walls, and each sink had a soap dispenser, toothbrush holder, and plastic cup, one set pink and the other blue, both with white flowers. In the bathtub were pink and blue bath caddies.

Parker opened the door to enter his bedroom and stopped cold. The family trooped in and gasped as they were transported to an underwater realm. The walls were all painted in a blue-green base, with white ripples indicating underwater waves. Different characters from "Finding Nemo" were painted in massive proportions around the various walls. Parker ran around and found Marlin, Dori, Nemo, Mr. Ray, the shark, the jellyfish, the fishtank characters from the Dentist's office, the sea turtles, the charades fish, and a million-and-one scenes from the movie. It was incredible.

Here, like the other bedrooms, the carpet had been stripped, but the hardwood had been stained an odd sandy color, giving the impression that the family was standing on the sea floor. The bed – the same canopied model that the girls had – was textured to look like the anemone that Marlin and Nemo lived in, and the other furniture pieces – the desk and chair set, the bookcase, the dresser, and the nightstand – were all textured to resemble coral.

"Yes!" shouted Parker, pumping his little fists in the air and jumping up and down. "I like it!"

The family's final stop on this floor was the Master suite. The suite itself covered the entire width of one end of the house and consisted of the bedroom, bathroom, a walk-in closet, and a sitting room. A wrap-around balcony was accessible through French doors in the bedroom. Temperance and Seeley had asked Angela to pretty well leave the bedroom and bathroom alone, since they really liked the cream walls and cherry wood panelings. Neither one, however, had cared for the wallpaper in the sitting room, so Temperance had told Angela what she wanted. She just hoped Seeley appreciated it.

They showed the kids through the bedroom, bathroom, and closet, then Seeley led the way to the sitting room.

"OK, kids," he announced, grabbing the door. "Let's see what magic Angela has created in here." And he opened the door and took two steps into the room before realizing that he wasn't looking at a sitting room. The kids crowded around him and ran into the room.

"Wow!" they all shouted, taking in images of the Hundred Acre Wood with Pooh Bear, Piglet, Rabbit, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga, Roo, and Christopher Robin in various places on each of the four walls. A white wood cradle, crib, changing table, rocking chair, dresser, and bookcase completed the room.

"Honey?" Seeley asked, turning to gaze at Temperance's anxious expression.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: Well – finally! – here it is! Yay! I'm planning a schedule as we speak to spend time each week working on each of my stories, so there really should be no reason why I shouldn't have a new chapter up at least once a week. Also, I have permission from another writer here to use her idea for poll questions at the end of each chapter. At the beginning of the next chapter, I'll post the results of the polls as they stand at that time. Anyhow, if there are any poll questions you would like to see used, please do drop me a line and give me your suggestions. I'm always open to them, and, as always, thanks for reading!

**Poll Question: What is your favorite episode of "Bones" and why?**


	22. Maybe Baby

Snow1685: Yes, it would come in handy to have Angela as a friend. In fact, I would love to have her as a friend whenever I buy a house for myself. My sister is a fairly good artist, though, so I could just ask her to help.

BGWGscienceteacher: I could picture the look on his face, too, as I wrote the chapter. Probably my favorite part about writing this story is thinking up ways to have Booth and Brennan surprise each other.

Don'tCallMeBones: I'm sorry that my posts are so far apart that it makes you forget the story, but I'm glad that when you re-read, it doesn't get old for you. I actually had some help with the rooms from my niece, Willow. She's four and was chattering in my ear about nonsensical things when I was typing it up, but I did catch her mentioning the Disney Princesses, My Little Pony (which I converted into real horses for Katie), and Finding Nemo, so…voila! The rooms were born. As for Sweets, I kind of miss Gordon, Gordon Wyatt as the psychiatrist…Sweets just doesn't do it for me.

TrueRomantic: I'm finally back. I'm sorry I kept everyone waiting so long, but things had to be taken care of before I could in all conscience come back to writing for leisure. But they're done now, and I don't anticipate being called away again anytime soon. You'll find out what's going on with Brennan in this chapter, along with Seeley. I hate to be mysterious, but if I told you now, you might not read the chapter! J/K, but you know what I mean.

Moosemer11: I'm glad you enjoyed it so much…this actually seems to be a favorite chapter for a lot of people, and I really can't figure out what I did differently, but I'll try and keep it up in the future, because I am LOVING all the reviews I got from it!

Stainedglasshorse: OK, I have to ask…how long did it take you to read all 21 chapters at once? I fully understand that this story isn't a short one (and it isn't stopping anytime soon, for those that were wondering…I still have quite a few more chapters left in me). Actually, the Christmas bonus scene is my favorite scene in the entire movie, too…my family loves that movie; we watch it every year. I had a couple of people complain when I placed that scene in there, thinking it was too graphic for little kids to watch, but I've watched it every year since the movie came out, and I'm fine; and my 2- and 4- year old nieces love it…they crack up. About the nursery, I'll tell you what I'm telling everyone else: you'll find out in this chapter.

Fortune kookie 91: I'll ask you, too, then: how long did it take you to read it in one sitting? I'm interested because I do the same thing: sit at the computer for hours reading full-length stories, so I like to know that I'm not alone. Top 10, huh? Considering that there are some GREAT Bones stories out there, I'm flattered. You'll find out all about her surprise for Booth in this chapter, which I think will become my favorite. Life does have a way of getting in the way, but I hope your wait wasn't too long. Enjoy!

Melissouza: Well, you don't have to hope for more soon anymore, because here it is! I hope it is what you expected it to be.

Tamari: I would never abandon my stories completely. There were a few things I had to take care of that I thought were of greater importance than my stories, but they are taken care of now and I am back in the swing of things. As for the cradle and the rest of the nursery, you'll find out in this chapter. Hope you enjoy it!

Cass-clari: I'm sorry if my writing got you in trouble with your mother…I don't think that was my original intention, but I'm flattered you enjoyed it so much that you couldn't walk away. I like the girls, too, they are exactly the way I pictured them and I'm very pleased with how the story is coming along as a whole. I hope you continue to enjoy the story (without risking the ire of your mother, that is)!

Mumrulz: It's OK that you didn't review chapter 20 when it came out; I'm just glad you did it with this chapter. Yeah, that scene with the packing was meant to be sad…I would hate to have been in their shoes, but it had to be done. I knew I wanted to work in the ring and the tape somehow because I felt it was important to the development of her character in the show, and I wanted that in the story, as well. As for the nursery room, that will be explained in this chapter. Hope you like it!

JilianCeleste: 18 hours? Yikes! I hope it was worth the time! I know, the story does have a small amount of nostalgia built into it, and it does seem an awful lot like Booth and Brennan are "playing house", but hopefully that will all be done away with in the next few chapters.

GoldenLocks: Glad you think it was a great chapter. I have to say, I didn't really care for Sully, either. Definitely not as a romantic interest for Brennan, but also not as a friend for Booth or as an FBI agent. He doesn't take anything seriously, and his entire attitude is entirely too irresponsible.

QuothTheRaven666: I'm sorry. Wouldn't want anyone to die on account of my writing. That DEFINITELY wasn't my plan! Your questions regarding the nursery will be answered in this chapter. I have to say, a lot of people asked that same question. I'm afraid if I tell anyone the answer, they won't read the chapter because it'll be spoiled for them! Seriously, though, I would like to adopt. I've got preliminary paperwork for it, but it's going to have to wait for a few more years. It isn't hard for a single woman to adopt in the United States, she just has to be 30 years old; I'm nearing 27. Of course, you'll have to go through the inevitable criminal background check and a home inspection and all of that, but so does anyone that adopts. It's harder for a single man to adopt, however.

A/N: Well, the poll results were interesting. "Woman in the Sand" and "Santa in the Slush" each got two votes, while "Two Bodies in the Lab" and "Aliens in a Spaceship" each got one vote. One person liked all the ones with Bones kidnapped as well as all the ones with Epps in it, and another person liked any episode with Dr. Sweets. One person hated any episode with Sully in it. Personally, I like "The Woman in Limbo", "Aliens in a Spaceship", "Judas on a Pole", and "Santa in the Slush", because I think each of them marks a turning point for our favorite couple.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

January 16, 2007

Taking a deep breath, Temperance entered the room and ruffled Parker's hair, smiling down at the boy, then turning her smile on the girls before asking that the kids go and explore their bedrooms some more until she and Seeley came to get them. Complying happily, the three scampered out of the room, shouting all the way down the hallway. Brennan grinned after them before sighing heavily and settling her gaze on Seeley. Her smile faltered, but the inquisitive tilt to his head gave her courage. Answering questions was one thing she had always been able to do with confidence. Hell, it's what she does for a living, isn't it?

"When I originally asked Angela – the night of Katie's birthday party – to paint the bedrooms, bathrooms, and this sitting room, I chose this theme to let you know that I was willing to have more children with you…that I trusted you to help me through having a baby and raising it," she explained carefully. At his joyful expression, she held up her hand to stop his reply. "I'm not done; please let me finish before you say anything," she pleaded softly.

He nodded, and she continued. "The next day, after I dropped Samantha and Brynne off at the train station and the kids at their schools, I detoured on my way to work."

Again, Seeley nodded. "Angela said that you called about being late," he mentioned.

"I went to my Gynecologist's office," she offered. She smiled at his surprised look and plowed on. "I wanted her to stop my birth control prescription, but she said that in order to do that, I had to take a pregnancy test. I didn't think anything of it, since I had been taking my pills every day. There was one day, however, that I was too upset to remember to take it." She watched, blushing, as his scrunched up face gave way to one of complete understanding.

"The night we argued and I walked out," he decided. She nodded shyly, remembering that night at his apartment clearly.

"Liz – my Gynecologist – called me the next day with my test results," she finished, deliberately leaving the ending unsaid.

Slowly, Seeley stepped in front of her, his hand moving to cradle her abdomen reverently, his face alight with wonder. "We're having a baby," he concluded. At her brief nod, he hauled her into his arms and crushed her in his embrace. "I love you," he murmured.

She let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "I love you, too," she replied shakily.

Soon enough, his hand found its way to her face and, cradling her cheek, he tilted her head back and lowered his lips to hers. He kissed her once, twice, three times, savoring the taste of her love and their mingled tears.

Slowly, almost unwillingly, she extricated herself from his embrace. Her arms moved up to finger the chain around her neck and she turned her tear-filled eyes up to his.

"You gave me this necklace, knowing that I may never be willing to take the ring off the chain and put it on my finger. Knowing, too, that you may never have heard me tell you that I love you. Do you remember what you said to me before you fastened it around my neck?" she asked.

Dumbly, he nodded. "I said to tell me when you're ready and I'd be happy to place the ring on your finger," he recited, holding his breath.

"I'm ready," she answered, unclasping the necklace and handing it to him.

Unsteadily, he took the chain from her outstretched hand and slipped the glittering ring off one end. He stood staring at the rock for a moment before dropping to his knees and tilting his head to look her in the eye. Gingerly, he took her left hand in his and took a deep breath before beginning his speech.

"Bones," the endearment was a whisper; a caress. Odd, that what she had once thought to be an annoying nickname she now realized was his favorite endearment for her. "I always knew it would take an exceptional woman to make me love her; my parents have always said I was cavalier in my attitude towards women, and, at one time, I was. Then you came along, and you were pushy, and determined, beautiful, and sexy. And I knew I couldn't have you because you were also brilliant and way out of my league. So I settled for friendship, knowing that – if I was sneaky enough – you wouldn't notice that I was slowly making my way into your good graces.

"There have been a _lot_ of bumps in the road; sometimes, with the ridiculous men you chose to go out with, I thought I would never have a chance. Other times – two in particular – just to spite you, I would spend time with other women just to see if it would make you jealous. When it didn't, I never tried it again. And I'm glad, because this feeling I have for you, this overwhelming passion I have for you, is so right, I would hate to have missed it for some meaningless fling meant simply to spite you.

"For that reason, and that reason alone, I will always be grateful that your family made it a habit to walk out on your life. My life changed the day Max and Russ left those two little girls on your doorstep. You have taught me so much this past month, Temperance; you've _given_ me so much, that I don't know how I'll ever repay you. I can only promise you that, if you let me, I'll spend the rest of my life making sure you never regret the past. And I'm telling you now: this is one person that will _never_ walk away from you."

Tears streaming down her face, she knelt down with him. "A simple 'Will you marry me, Temperance?' would have sufficed," she laughed through her tears.

Grinning, he slipped the ring on her finger. "Will you marry me, Temperance?" he repeated, crushing his lips down on hers at the barest hint of her smiling nod.

"Yes, smart ass," she sniffed, once he had released her in favor of air. Laughing together, he helped her stand up, pausing to once again stroke her stomach.

"Are you happy about the baby?" he asked, taking her hand and leading her out of the nursery and back into their bedroom.

"I was shocked at first, and scared; _petrified_ would actually be a better word to describe me at the time." She sighed, thinking of all that had actually gone through her mind when her doctor had called her with the news. "But now, yes, I am happy, because I'm going through this with you; I can't think of anyone I'd rather have a child with." He offered his mega-watt charm smile, but she stopped him mid-grin, knowing it was her turn to open up. "When we first met, I disliked you; I thought you were brash and overconfident and disregarded anything that had to do with my lab. Then I began to respect you as an FBI agent – you're damn good at what you do, Seeley – and I got to know you as a person and I found I liked you quite a lot.

"I respected that you cared about Rebecca enough to propose to her – even if you didn't love her the way a husband _should_ love his wife – and was proud to find out that you weren't too egotistical to respect her decision to decline your offer. Don't get me wrong – I still think you only proposed to her because you have those ridiculous alpha-male tendencies to think that women can't do anything on their own – but I was proud of you anyhow.

"Then I spent time with you and Parker and realized what an incredible father you are. Our kids are lucky, Seeley; they have the best dad in the world. I know you will never hide anything from them, you'll never lie to them, and you'll never walk away from them; just like I know you will never walk away from me."

The two leaned in for another kiss before leaving the bedroom in search of their children. They found the three kids in Parker's room, inspecting the walls to find all the little scenes that they had missed earlier.

Katie glanced over from her spot by the far wall and came running up to the two adults. "Are you gonna have a baby, Tempe?" At the woman's nod, she asked. "Does this mean that Hayley and I will have a cousin? I've always wanted a cousin."

Temperance and Seeley glanced at each other in alarm, then Temperance slowly shook her head. "No, Katie, this doesn't mean you'll have a new cousin; it means you'll have a new brother or sister," the anthropologist explained.

At the child's confused look, Seeley took her by the hand, picked up Hayley, and went to sit with them on Parker's bed. Temperance perched herself on the desk chair, and Parker climbed into her lap. "Do you see the ring on Tempe's finger?" Seeley asked the kids. Temperance obliged him by holding out her hand.

"Isn't that the ring that you gave Dr. Tempe-Bones for Christmas, Daddy?" Parker asked, fingering the stones.

"Yes, Bub, it is," his father nodded. "Today I asked Temperance to marry me, and she said yes. Which means that Parker will get a new mommy, and Katie and Hayley will have a new family."

The adults couldn't miss Katie's dejected look. "What's the matter, Sweetheart?" Seeley nudged the girl. "I know that Tempe and I aren't your real mom and dad, but we love you like we were," he offered.

"It's not that, it's just….I was _really_ looking forward to having a cousin!" the girl sniffed.

Seeley tipped his head back and laughed heartily, causing Temperance to smile and shake her head, the two littler kids to giggle, and Katie to cross her arms and huff in indignation. "Is that all?" Booth finally managed. "Katie, I have three sisters and two brothers. One brother and one sister are each married with kids; you already have five cousins," he explained.

Katie and Hayley both looked up in surprise. "Really? Will we get to meet them? Do they know about us? Does this mean we have a grandma and grandpa, too?" the girls chattered at once.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down; one question at a time, girls. Yes, really. Yes, you'll get to meet them, probably when we move into this house; Temperance and I talked about having a housewarming party after we get settled. Yes, they know about you; I called them on Christmas Eve to wish them a Merry Christmas and explain why Parker and I wouldn't be up this year and told them all about you. Yes, you have a grandma and grandpa; my parents live in Philadelphia, but will probably also come out for the housewarming party. They've all wanted to meet you since Christmas, but I thought it would be better for us to have a small family Christmas to get to know one another, especially with everything that's happened in the last month." He grinned again. "Any other questions, ladies?" he asked teasingly.

Katie raised her hand. "Yes, Katie," he rolled his eyes.

"When can we move in?" she asked.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: I know that this chapter was kind of sappy with no action going on, but I felt it was important for Seeley and Temperance to kind of clear the air so they could start their lives together with no miscommunication or shadows from the past hanging over their heads. Hopefully you all enjoy it as much as I do. Sappy though it may be, I think this chapter is my favorite so far.

**Poll Question: Should they have a relatively short engagement or a long one? Should the pregnancy matter to them? Should they plan a double wedding with Jack and Angela? Things to consider: they can't legally adopt the kids until they are married; the kids may be subject to teasing with such an unorthodox family; and remember that they are planning a trip to Disney World in the spring – should they make it a wedding trip? Let me know what you think and why. Thanks!**


	23. Return of an Old Friend

Fortune kookie 91: 6 or 7 hours? Yikes! Actually, I guess that's pretty good time, considering I've had some people tell me it's taken them eighteen hours to read it, time they were supposed to have spent working on their school papers and stuff. I guess, though, when you're at the computer, and there is a story or two on the website that you just can't stay away from, the temptation is too strong to just let it go away. Back to your review: No, we definitely don't want people thinking Booth and Brennan are getting married simply because she got pregnant. Not that anyone who really knew Brennan would ever think that, anyhow, but the fact remains that Booth _did_ propose to Rebecca simply because she got pregnant with Parker, so who's to say he wouldn't have done the same thing with Temperance? I know, I know, rambling. Sorry. Glad you like the story, though, and please keep reading.

Tamari: Both ways sound good. I think the wedding date will be set in this chapter, although I'm not entirely certain if the chapter will actually go that way or not, since I answer these reviews before ever writing the chapters. Anyhow, keep reading!

Moosemer11: Can I tell you a secret? I don't like the double wedding idea for this story, either. I've got it going on in one of my other stories, because it fits those characters, but it wouldn't fit these ones, I don't think. I might have someone bring it up...maybe Jack...just so the idea gets covered in the story, but I don't think that's the way I'm gonna go. A fairytale wedding, huh? That could be fun.

BGWGscienceteacher: They _have_ known each other for a very long time, since before even the first episode, when she was coming back from Guatemala with that skull. A short engagement is definitely a strong way to go, but this story rarely ever does what I want it to. We'll see what the characters want, I guess.

Bea.tricks: The Brady Bunch Theme? I guess I can see where you might get that; it is kinda Brady Bunch-ish, isn't it?

Mumrulz: I'm sorry again about making you re-read the story every time I update. If you have me on your authors list, then you know that I've update one of my other stories twice in the last couple days, so it likely will be the same fast updating for this story, as well. You're right about the wedding. Brennan and Angela may be best friends, but I think they'd be sick of each other every year celebrating their anniversaries. Besides, who will babysit if both couples are celebrating at the same time? I can't say I'm against _all_ double weddings; I think it fits _some_ couples, but I agree it doesn't fit here. I haven't decided yet when the wedding for Booth and Brennan will be; I'm kind of leaning towards a short engagement, but we all know this story doesn't always do what I would like it to do (for instance, I never had any intention of killing off Max, Russ, and Amy...that just happened that way). I'm glad you liked the way I presented the pregnancy. I agree: too often, Temperance gets pregnant before she ever decides that she _wants_ kids, then I think she might resent the baby for being there before she was really ready for it. I wanted to make it so that there would be no animosity in this little family dynamic they've created for themselves.

Virpukka: I'm sorry you were disappointed as to the length of the story so far; I'll work on getting it longer in the next couple of days, OK?

Pepperdennis: Don't apologize for not having reviewed before; you see the story when you see the story, you can't help that. _I'm_ just sorry that I haven't had an update out before now...it's been a really long wait for the readers, I know. I'm glad you think it's so good that it's your favorite Bones family story...there are some good ones out there. And thanks for the ideas for the wedding and vacation...I'll keep them in mind. Don't ever apologize, either, for rambling in a review. Don't ya know that we writers thrive on reviewers like you? It's what keeps us writing, so send as many as you want!

Maleigha: I'm glad you enjoyed the first half of the story. Hopefully the second half lives up to your expectations.

Katie Lupin: It's true that weird families are the norm these days. My own family is testament to that fact (it's a long story), so maybe I shouldn't feel so bad about putting it in my story.

KJFlygirl87: I based the house partly on my dream home and partly on the house I lived in when I was young. Glad that you found the description of it to your liking. And of course they'd be moving into a house where a murder occurred...would we expect anything less from them? Although, I think Booth might find it a little bit weird...he kinda tends to get wigged out easier than Brennan does.

HawkAngel XD: Yes, unorthodox family, and yes everything happened fast, but things happen fast on that show. In the second season, Jack and Angela get engaged one week and the wedding was the next! Of course, they didn't actually get _married_ then because of her previous marriage but still, the fact remains. Anywho...glad you like the story and please keep reading and reviewing!

Gottalovethegilmores: OK, OK, I surrender (in response to your shaking fist). Here's the update you wanted! You've got some interesting takes on the whole Booth/Parker/Rebecca dynamic. Maybe I should explore more what his regrets in regards to Parker's birth and first few years are, if there are any. As for Booth purposely intimidating a kid, I think he would purposely intimidate _anybody_ who poses a potential threat to his family. Remember what happened when Rebecca started dating Drew? Or when Howard Epps handed that note to Parker? Ooh, speaking of which, I haven't covered that in my story yet, since it technically takes place during the second season. I should deal with that in the next couple of chapters. Ideas, ideas, with Epps on the loose looking for Brennan, and Brennan with three kids and another on the way. Hmm...pondering, pondering. I'm gonna have to think about this. Thanks for the idea! (Even though you didn't really suggest it...your thoughts just led to my thinking of it, but thanks anyway).

A/N: It has come to my attention that some people are not pleased with the names of the girls. I know Russ and Amy's oldest daughter's name is Emma, not Katie, in the show, and that their last name is actually Hollister, not Smithson, but considering I started writing this before the girls and Amy were ever even introduced, I think it's a small miracle that I got two out of three names right. Anyhow, on to the poll question. Well, _everyone_ votes for a quick engagement, except for one person decided she could go either way...fast engagement or waiting until after the baby was born...or even when Brennan was in full pregnancy. Only one or two people wanted a double wedding; most wanted to see Booth and Brennan have their own day and for Jack and Angela to have a separate day of their own. I agree that a fast wedding would be best, and I also agree that a double wedding is not right for this story. In some instances a double wedding would fit, but not in this one.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"When do you think we should have the wedding?" Temperance asked later that night. She and Booth had finally gotten the kids to sleep and were sitting on the couch drinking tea. Booth fingered the ring she had finally allowed him to place on her finger and smiled, thanking God for her willingness to marry him.

"I'm happy just having this ring on your finger," he answered honestly. "The wedding has to be something that _you_ are comfortable with. If you wanted to get married tomorrow, I'd be ecstatic, but I know that this is new for you and I know that it scares you a little. If you want to wait for six months or a year, I'd be disappointed, but I'd understand. The choice is yours; I love you and will be here no matter what."

"No, I think we should make it a relatively short engagement," she replied. "I mean, the baby's on the way, and you don't mention it but I know you regret the circumstances of Parker's birth." At his look, she clarified, "Not that I think you regret Parker being _born_ because I know you don't regret that at all, but you regret not being able to be there for him and for missing so much. And I know Rebecca hurt you every time she told you that she didn't even have to let you see him, and I don't want to put you through that. I don't want you to wonder what your role will be in this child's life the way you had to wonder with Parker."

"I do regret a lot of what I missed in Parker's first few years. Hell, I didn't even get to _see_ him alone until he was three, but that shouldn't be the reason you want to get married quickly. My mistakes with Rebecca will not influence your decision, understood?" he asked, tugging on her chin until she smiled wanly.

"No, I've been thinking about this the last couple days, and I think I have the perfect time for us to be married," she stated, eyes twinkling.

"Oh, yeah, Dr. Brennan? Now I _am_ intrigued," he laughed, pulling her closer so she was sitting across his lap with her feet on the couch seat beside him. "What's your idea?"

"The housewarming party we planned for the new place," she suggested. "Your family will be here, and all of our friends. We could have the ceremony earlier in the day and make the housewarming party double as a reception." When she saw that he wasn't warming to the idea, she had sudden doubts about whether or not this was what he really wanted.

"If you don't want to have this wedding, just tell me," she demanded. His head snapped up at that.

"It's not that. God, Temperance, do you know how long I've been dreaming about us getting married? It's just...my parents and the rest of my family will be here at the housewarming party," he responded.

"I believe I just made that a reason why we _should_ have the wedding then. Is there some problem with your family you would like to tell me about?" she asked playfully, poking him in the ribs.

"They're Catholic, Bones," he pointed out, as if that explained everything.

She rolled her eyes. "I had assumed that, Sherlock, since you and Parker are both Catholic," she remarked dryly.

"My mother will want to help with the wedding plans," he continued.

"I hoped she would," she smiled. "Since my mother's not...going to...be here," she finished quietly. He kissed her shoulder, causing her to lean her head down for a proper kiss.

Finally, he lifted his head and came out with the point she was having such a difficult time grasping. "If my family is there, they will want us to have a proper wedding," he spit out. "In a _church_. With a _priest_ officiating. I know you, Bones, and a church wedding isn't big on your list of priorities."

"No, that's right: it isn't." She took a deep breath, then continued. "But having your family there _is_. Seeley, this is your _parents_ we're talking about. They should be there to see you get married. And if the only way that will happen is by us getting married in a church by a priest, then I'm willing to do that to make them happy. I mean, I got through the funerals in decent shape," she joked. "I think I can manage one more Mass."

"You still don't understand," he shook his head as if to clear it. "In order to be married in a Cathedral, both parties have to be christened into the Church."

She shrugged. "So I'll get baptized. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is you can't get baptized unless you've gone through their classes and become a Catholic. Which takes _months_, and is not something you just do. You have to Believe. No, we should just elope or something."

"Booth, we are not going to elope. There isn't any way around this rule?" she pleaded.

That brought him up short. He thought about it for a moment, then finally admitted that he didn't know.

"What about that priest that conducted the funerals?" she queried. "Father McCullum? We could ask him if there's some way we can have the Church wedding without the classes and baptism. He seemed to respect my choices when I went to him before," she added.

"No! Bones, you do not just go into a church and ask a priest if there are ways around the laws of the Church!" he demanded.

"Why not?" she asked, honestly curious. "Why can't we just ask him..."

"Because it is disrespectful, that's why!" he answered harshly.

"No, it's not," she defended.

"Yes, it is! It's disrespectful to the priest, it's disrespectful to the Church, it's disrespectful to God, Bones!"

"_How_ is it disrespectful to ask a minister of the faith a simple question about the rules concerning matrimony in that faith?" she shot back. "All I'm suggesting is a simple question, Booth. What's the worst he can tell us...no? In that case, we're no worse off than we are right now. And if he says yes, then we have a way for us to get married while keeping your parents happy, which is all I really want," she pointed out reasonably.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask," he grumbled.

"Good, because there was more pressing business I wanted to discuss with you tonight," she purred, sliding off his lap. Walking down the hall, she began unbuttoning her blouse, a sly smile planted on her face.

"I don't foresee a lot of _talking_ going on tonight, Bones," he growled, running up behind her and wrapping his arms around her middle. "Moaning, maybe," he whispered in her ear seductively. Pushing her determinedly into their bedroom, he forcefully shut the door behind him before taking her blouse in his hands and pushing it off her shoulders.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

January 17, 2007

Temperance awoke early the next morning, before her alarm clock had had a chance to go off. Stretching languidly to release some of the soreness in her limbs, she grinned goofily as she remembered how she had gotten them. She turned to the reason - the _person_, rather - that had given her the sore muscles and regarded him. He was sleeping on his side, turned away from her, the blanket riding low on his hips, giving her an unobstructed view of what she regarded as one of the most perfectly formed backsides any man could ever wish for.

Sleepily, she yawned. She would love to be able to say that she was tired this morning _solely_ based on Seeley's performance the night before, but really he was only half the reason. The other half was on the other side of her bedroom wall. The apartment next door was being renovated, and for whatever reason, the apartment manager decided that work needed to be done overnight. Temperance was amazed that Booth had slept through all the work being done.

Speaking of whom...

She scooted up in the bed behind him, threading her right hand under his cheek and resting it on his chest, and laying her left hand on his exposed shoulder. The ring on her finger caught her attention as it glittered, and she lifted it up to inspect it. It really was stunning, and the knowledge that it was chosen because it was one of a kind stunned her.

So engrossed with her thoughts was she that she didn't notice he had woken up until she felt him reach up and take her hand in his and squeezing it before threading their fingers together and tucking her arm under his so he could kiss her fingers. Her bare chest flat against his back, she took advantage of their positions to entangle their legs, bringing their lower halves closer together, causing him to chuckle.

"Morning, Beautiful," he finally murmured, turning his head so he could kiss her properly.

"Morning," she replied, blushing slightly from the new endearment. Finally, he turned so he could look at her without putting a crick in his neck.

She squirmed under his gaze. "What?" she finally asked, exasperated.

"I love you," he replied simply.

"Oh," she said. "Well, I love you, too." She leaned in to kiss him, but just as her mouth met his, a loud crash sounded from the kitchen.

"Better hold that thought until we get the kids to school," she laughed, rolling out of the bed and cinching her robe around her. With one last longing look at him, she headed out to the Mother's World of breakfast-making, lunch-packing, and homework-checking.

Twenty minutes later, Booth came out of the bathroom, freshly showered and fully dressed in his "uniform" of dark suit, loud tie, big belt buckle, and wild socks. "I'll take the kids to school today, Honey," he offered. "I have to go that way, anyhow. My turn to provide the doughnuts for the other agents, and they all like that Voodoo Doughnuts on Stark."

"Pick me up an apple fritter and a bear claw, would you?" she requested, zipping up Parker's backpack and placing it over the four-year-old's shoulders. Looking up, she noticed that Seeley was staring at her with an incredulous expression.

"What?" she demanded. "I'm eating for two now!"

That pulled a deep belly laugh out of him. "Just promise me you won't get cravings for pickles and ice cream, will you?" he finally managed, putting on his overcoat. "I don't know if I can deal with that combo."

Parker turned around and raised his hands to Temperance for a hug. Grinning, she reached down and picked up the child lightly before setting him back down again. "Have a good day at school, Bub," she instructed, ruffling the boy's hair and kissing him on the cheek. She gave similar instructions to each of the girls before turning her attention to Seeley.

"I'll call you when we're done with the meeting, OK?" he asked. She nodded. "Where will you be?"

"I thought I'd finish up on my Limbo case this morning, so I could go to St. Vincent's to talk to Father McCullum after lunch," she replied.

"How about, after my meeting, I bring you your doughnuts, drop off the paperwork from your father's case to Goodwin's office, then take you out to lunch so we can go see the priest together?" he suggested. Grinning, she nodded.

"Did someone else die?" Hayley demanded, hands on hips. Temperance and Seeley were both taken aback.

"Die? No, Hayley, nobody died," Temperance assured the child.

"Well, no one that we _know_," Seeley amended. Brennan shot him daggers with her eyes.

"Then why are you gonna go see the priest that does the fun'rals?" the six-year-old asked, lips quivering. Booth was quick to pick her up and hold her close.

"Oh, Sweetheart, nobody died, we promise. Father McCullum doesn't only do funerals. He does weddings, too," Seeley whispered, soothing the frightened girl.

"Really? Like the wedding for you and Tempe?" Katie interjected, eyes going from Temperance to Booth and back again.

"Exactly like that, Katie," Booth replied, taking Parker's hand and kissing Bones lightly on the lips before leading the kids out of the apartment and down the hallway. "See you later, Honey!" he called, once the doors to the elevator had opened up.

Laughing, she shook her head before shutting the door. Time to get ready for a busy day of crime-fighting and wedding-planning.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Father McCullum, the reason we came to see you today is a little different than the last time I visited you," Temperance began. She glanced at Booth, who nodded encouragingly. "Well, Booth and I are getting married..."

"And you would like to know if there is a way a Catholic and a non-Catholic may wed, is that it?" the priest finished.

Seeley and Temperance nodded. "Can you help us, Father?" Booth asked. "I know that usually the non-Catholic would have to join the church, but Temperance...would prefer to only join the Church due to sincere faith," he finished tactfully, not bothering to tell the priest that his intrepid fiancée had no intention of _ever_ believing.

"There is only one way we can award a dispensation of the matrimonial laws of the Church, Dr. Brennan," Father McCullum, addressing the anthropologist. Temperance nodded.

"A what?" Seeley asked, glancing from one to the other.

"A way we can get married without all the hocus-pocus of me taking my first Communion and getting splashed by the water in the basin over there," she responded, much to Seeley's chagrin and Father McCullum's amusement.

"Bones!" he hissed, mortified. "I'm sorry, Father, I'm sure she didn't mean it..."

"And I am just as sure she did," the priest replied, chuckling. "I am not offended, Agent Booth, so there is no need to apologize for her."

"Besides," Temperance interjected, glaring at her partner. "_She_ can speak for herself. How can we get the dispensation, Father McCullum?"

"You must promise that you will not interfere with or prevent Agent Booth from seeking his own faith at Mass," McCullum began.

"I would never think about telling Seeley how to conduct his private beliefs," Temperance declared. "I love all of him, and that includes his belief system, however much I disagree with the principles."

"And you must decline from preventing your children - the three you have now, as well as any you might have in the future - from being brought up in the Church. Agent Booth must have all responsibility for their religious upbringing," he finished.

"I can accept that. I already told you I wouldn't stop them from attending Mass with Booth, if that's what they wanted," she promised.

The priest nodded, satisfied. "Unfortunately, I can't grant the dispensation. I can, however, give you the name of the Archdiocese for the D.C. area, and _he_ can grant it." He took Temperance's notepad and wrote down a name, number, and address, then walked with the couple to the front door and bid them good day.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

An hour and a half later, Temperance was just leaving the Abbey after her meeting with Archbishop Michaels, the name Father McCullum had given her. Booth had gotten called away to deal with a prison fire, leaving her to deal with the Archbishop on her own. Everything had gone well, however, and after explaining about their situations and the funerals and the engagement and his faith and her lack of, he had granted the dispensation. Temperance was thrilled it had gotten so well.

Her phone rang just as she was approaching her car, so she rooted around looking in her purse for her phone with one hand while trying to unlock the car with the other. Finally she found the phone and opened it just before it went to voicemail. "Brennan," she spouted off, finally getting the key to turn and the car door opened.

"Hi, Honey," came Booth's voice on the other end. "I'm at the prison and, well, one of the prisoners is toast."

"You mean he left during the fire?" she asked, turning the key in the ignition and pulling out of the parking lot.

"No, I mean he's literally _toast_. Cooked, fried, burnt to a crisp. As in your services are needed, Dr. Brennan, and ASAP," he retorted.

"Why all the rush?" she asked, irked at his high-handed attitude.

"Because the body's in Epps' cell, so we need you to verify it's him," he replied resignedly.

"I'll be there in ten," she promised.

Once she got to the prison, Booth pulled her along after the guard, who was leading them to the cell. The guard was explaining how the system automatically unlocks the cell doors during a fire, when Temperance was pulled sharply by one of the prisoners in the cell block.

"Stay close," Booth instructed, disentangling her from the arms of the prisoner. "Some of these guys have not seen a beautiful woman in a _really long_ time, and I have no intention of sharing you."

They got to the cell and, sure enough, there was a burnt body on the floor. Brennan began her initial examination. "Victim is male, same approximate height and weight of Epps, 32 to 37 years old," she recited, glancing at the bones, willing them to tell her that this was positively the body of the serial killer. Then she saw something that made her gut clench.

"This is the wrist I broke last year," she pointed. Booth nodded.

"It's still broken right?" At her nod, he shrugged. "What's the problem, then?"

"This break is fresh," she indicated the break line.

"It's burnt bone," Booth qualified. "It's bound to be easily broken."

"No, not like this. This hasn't been broken before, and it's like it was slammed against something. This is _not_ Howard Epps." She saw something else and crawled around the body to take a better look. "There's a tattoo here, that's still visible. 'Arlington Fire Department'," she read. "He was a fire fighter. Came in here to help Epps out during the fire, Epps knocks him out, breaks his wrist..."

"Walks right out the front door," Booth finished. Temperance nodded. "Lock this place down, now!" Seeley demanded of the guard, who called in the order immediately.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: Yay! The next chapter finished, finally! And, oh, if there are any poll questions that you can all think of that you would like to see posted here, please feel free to send them to me, and I'll put them in. Thanks!

**Poll Question: Should we incorporate Angela's illicit first marriage into this timeline, or should we allow the poor woman to be able to marry the man she loves with no obstacles?**


	24. Serial Killer on the Loose

Seeley's Sweetheart: I'm glad I didn't disappoint you after such a long wait. Hopefully, this chapter will be just as enjoyable for you.

BGWGscienceteacher: I'm sorry it was such a long wait for you, but yay, this one was only a few days! I'm sorry your day was so rotten, too. I have days like that, sometimes, and they can really suck. Anyhow, yeah, Epps has the potential to wreak all kinds of havoc on this family's life. Wonder what's gonna happen!

Horsesmrt: Glad you like it so much. Angst can be a good thing, as long as there's happiness at the end to make it all worth it.

Dknckelly: I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much. I'm sorry I made you scared to read the next chapter when you found out that one of the burn victims was Amy, though. And I love "Steel Magnolias", too. In fact, that line you gave me, "Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion", is my signature in my e-mails. And I'm glad that you appreciate that I'm trying to combine this story with the events of the show.

Spuffyshipper: Thanks for the idea for the baby...I hadn't really planned where I was going to take it.

Mbird: I'm glad you found it funny. I'm a Baptist (although my family is _very_ Catholic: they're half Irish, half Italian. And my stepdad is 100 percent Polish), and I was a little afraid of offending Catholics with that comment, but it so seems like something that Brennan would say, doesn't it?

DanaWhitaker: Yikes, OK, I surrender; here's your update! Seriously, though, thanks for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed the story so much, and that you think I write Temperance well. I'm always asking myself if a line I give her is something she would really say, and I'm glad someone recognizes that.

Tchrbunny: I'm glad you love my story. And thanks for the vote, too.

HawkAngel XD: Glad you're loving the story as much as I'm loving writing it.

Mumrulz: That's a good point. I _do_ like to keep the story as close to the show as possible, and I'm glad that you recognize that those are my intentions. Brennan strikes me as the type of person that, when she decides to do something, she does it immediately and deals with the consequences, and I wanted to show that in the last chapter, so I had them visit with Father McCullum immediately. I'm glad you appreciated that. And yes, amen to the backside comment and LOL at your comment about more single-family homes as a result of such morning interruptions. Really, I'd say it was pretty amazing that they had gotten pregnant with three small children in the house, but Angela was watching the kids the night the baby was created, so that's a null-and-void thought. Anyhow, onward to the story!

Katie Lupin: Disbelief. That's an emotion I haven't come across in my reviews yet. Huh, well you can believe it, because here's my second update in less than a week! Yay! I haven't decided what Epps is gonna do (I guess you and I will both find out as this chapter progresses, huh?); I want to keep his actions as close to the show as possible, but there was only Parker in the show, and no Katie or Hayley, so that might change events a little. But he won't harm them, whatever happens. I'm sure of it. Almost. I think.

Miss Scully: Thanks for the review, and for the vote! I love that so many people enjoy this story! Yay!

Dawnsfire: I didn't mean to offend you with the events of last chapter. Just wanted to say that straight away, and to explain where I was coming from. I have family members in the Catholic faith (I'm a Baptist myself, so was only marginally familiar with some of the more well-known doctrines). I know that the Church frowns on inter-faith marriages (I know of a few people that have had to go to those pre-marriage classes, and for the non-Catholic parties to become Catholic), but wasn't entirely sure of the processes behind it. They brought me so much literature about the Catholic marriage laws, and the canon of the Catholic Church that I was reading for three days! The events of the last chapter was what I gleaned from those pamphlets and books. So the story isn't from the perspective of an orthodox Catholic, but rather a Catholic descendent looking back. Anyhow, back to your review, Temperance does begin a tentative relationship with them in season three (although this story was actually begun during season 2), but it's nice to know that my idea was sort of reinforced by the events of the show. And she would research the heck out of the subject, that's true...although, after "Baby in the Bough", we know she's got the potential to make a great mother.

Virpukka: I'm glad you enjoy the story so much that you can read it over and over and you don't get tired of it. And I'll agree, there are some very funny parts in it. I may just have to check out Olesammie's story...I don't think I've read it yet.

Moosemer11: We'll see where the story takes us, I guess. I've gotten good arguments for both sides, so we'll let the story decide where it wants to go.

Readergirl828: Thanks for the vote! Although I haven't decided yet what's gonna happen with the Hodgela dynamic, and it's a few chapters down the line anyhow, I'll still keep everyone's opinions in mind when I _do_ write it.

Tamari: Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Temperance does handle it casually, outwardly, but I think she's like that. She's not one to really let her emotions show very often, and while she may have been struggling with this decision for days, once she makes up her mind, she sticks to it. Like in "Baby in the Bough", when she had been trying to figure out all episode what to do with her extra money. At the end of the show it's revealed that she's decided to rebuild the bridge that had taken away the life-blood of that town when it hadn't been repaired by the government. And, I agree, she does like to take on an awful lot of obstacles...I think for her, it's a challenge to get past them, because she's so intelligent, it's like a puzzle.

A/N: I just want to say that I meant absolutely _no_ disrespect to Catholics for my last chapter. While I am not Catholic myself (I'm a Baptist), I was born into a highly Catholic family on one side and a devoutly Mormon one on the other (plus, my stepfather's family is Catholic, as well), so I have complete respect for people's personal beliefs. What was written last chapter was only put in after much personal debate about what _Temperance_ would have said given the situation and was not in any way meant as an attack.

Also, I appreciate that so many of you recognize that I am trying to make this story as close to canon as possible by adding different bits from the show. It can be hard sometimes, because adding too much of the show, and the story is no longer fanfiction, it's plagiarism. That being said, this chapter has a lot of the episode "The Man in the Cell" in it, for obvious reasons. Whatever scenes I am using here from the episode, however, I am only using because I've put some changes in them, due to the differences between the story and the show (ie, three children for Epps to grab, rather than just Parker). Basically, this is just a retelling of that episode, sort of a "what-if" scenario. Hey, some things are just too good to be changed!

As for the poll question, there were quite a few responses. Six of you have pleaded that I leave Angela's first husband out of the story, and three of you have said that he _should_ be written in. I'm kinda on the fence, myself. I love the whole Hodgins/Angela dynamic in the show, and I really feel bad for them that they're going through this, and kinda want to leave it out of the story. On the other hand, it _was_ in the show for a reason, and I do like to keep my story as close to canon as possible, and the first marriage thing does create a lot of suspense for someone other than Brennan, for a change.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"You look short," Zack commented to Hodgins while they were looking at a newspaper article of the Squint Squad with Angela.

"He _is_ short, Zack," Angela reached for the paper, skimming the article. "Did you really call me the _heart_ of the operation?" she inquired of her fiancé.

"Yeah," he admitted. "That was before you called me short!" He snatched the paper from her hands and pouted.

"Hey, _Zack_ called you short," she pointed out. "I think you're just the right size."

He leered at her. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yup. Short men have better leverage," she grinned seductively.

Chuckling, he replied, "Better tell that to Booth and Brennan," causing her to laugh aloud.

"Did I miss something?" Zack wondered.

"Never mind, Zack!" Hodgins scowled, as Angela erupted into giggles again and Cam came up to the platform, reminding her team that they had a serial killer on the loose and that they needed to catch him before another, less kind, story was printed about them. She turned her attention to Angela and asked where Brennan was.

"She and Booth are interviewing Epps' wife," the artist replied, scrunching her face up in distaste.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Angela and Brennan were in the Anthropologist's office, and Angela was telling Temperance how horrible Epps was, as if Temperance needed any reminders of the fact.

"I have some sick days coming," Angela mentioned. "And I was thinking, that since Epps _makes_ me sick..." She didn't get to finish the thought.

"We need you, Ange," Temperance interrupted her friend. "_Hodgins_ certainly does."

Angela glared at her. "That was low," she intoned.

"I know," Temperance admitted wryly. "Did it work?"

Angela smiled wanly, then turned serious again. "How do you do it?" she asked. "How do you, you know, deal with the fear?"

Brennan thought about the question for a moment, then replied, "I have Seeley, of course. I know he'd never let anything happen to me." She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a .45 caliber revolver. "And I have this."

At that moment, Booth walked in and stared at the handgun in his fiancée's hand incredulously. "Where the hell did you get that?" he demanded.

"The Mall," she admitted.

"The Mall?" he repeated.

"Yeah, it's pretty big, right? Bigger than the one you have," she pointed out.

He took an alternate meaning to her words and defended himself. "Excuse me, it's not the size that matters; it's how you _use_ it."

She grinned privately at him. "Well, I think size is pretty important."

"If you're gonna have one," Angela interjected. "Bigger is _always_ better."

"You're not helping the situation, Angela," Booth warned.

"Yeah, right, this does sound like a _private_ conversation," the artist winked, leaving the office.

"Yeah, private!" Seeley announced, shutting the door after her and turning his attention to Temperance. "Honey, I don't like you carrying a gun," he admitted.

She regarded him for a moment, then finally nodded. "I'll be careful," she promised, causing him to relax visibly.

"That's all I ask," he grinned. "Size is important, huh?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Marion Epps is clearly a bad mother," Temperance decided, after she and Seeley had interviewed the woman.

Booth snorted. "Uh, ya think?" he demanded. "All you need to do is compare her to you and you know she's a horrible mother, because you're a great one." he pointed out, causing the anthropologist to smile.

"But lots of people have bad mothers," she went back to her comment, "and they don't grow up to be serial killers. Which is why I don't put much stock in Psychology."

"Listen, Bones," Booth demanded. "I don't care how you explain it, the guy is an animal: he has no conscience."

"How do you classify morals?" she retorted.

"You take the method. You got a guy, kills someone in the heat of the moment, but feels remorse afterward. That guy obviously has some regard for human life. The key word there, Bones, is _human_," he explained.

"How can you of all people say that?" she replied.

"What are you talking about?"

"You killed people," she mentioned. "You were basically a gun-for-hire for the army...it didn't matter _who_ the victim was."

"No, see, that's something different," he defended. "What I did, I did for my _country_, to keep more people from being hurt."

"But, Seeley, don't you get it? You're classifying yourself with Epps. You're putting a reason behind it, but there are no emotions, no remorse for doing it because it was an order."

"Don't go there, Bones," he threatened. "I love you, but you just crossed a line."

She flopped back in her seat, then noticed a car behind them in her side mirror. "Booth, we're being followed," she pointed out, twisting to look behind them.

"That's right," he smirked. "Two agents at all times, following at a _very discreet_ distance. See, Bones, I don't care how big your gun is."

"Don't worry, Seeley," she grinned slyly. "You've got the largest one I've ever seen."

He leered at her, then slapped the steering wheel. "Oh, shit, Bones, the kids!" he shouted. "We forgot to pick up the kids after school."

"_You_ might have forgotten, but didn't you just mention that I was a great mother?" she replied.

He relaxed. "OK, Mother-of-the-year, where are they?"

"I called up Parker's old nanny, Rose Ortiz, and asked if she wanted her job back, offering her double what she was making before, and a live-in position. She can have the guest room until we have a chance to build onto the house. She picked the kids up and will stay with them until we get home."

"You think of everything, do you know that?" he chuckled, pulling his phone out as it rang, to answer it. "Booth," he spouted.

"_Booth, it's Cam_," came the voice on the other end of the line. "_It was in her ear. Epps made a small incision in Caroline's ear canal and inserted a token for a children's amusement park. It has 'Hillside Park' engraved on it._"

Booth blanched. "My son used to play there every day after school," he droned, dropping the phone, flipping on his lights, and swinging the car around to head in the opposite direction.

Once they got to the park, Seeley and Temperance jumped out of the SUV, calling for the kids. Seeley noticed the nanny and ran over.

"Rose!" he called. "Where are the kids?"

"They're on the merry-go-round," she replied. "They were just there!"

"Katie!" he shouted, stepping up onto the carousel with Bones. "Hayley!"

"Parker!" Brennan finished. "Katie!" She saw them in line at an ice cream vendor, and pointed them out to Booth, who ran over and pulled the three kids out of line.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"A man bought us ice cream," Katie replied timidly, holding up her cone. Seeley knocked the ice cream cones out of their hands.

"Hey, that was my favorite!" Parker complained.

"I'll buy you guys each another one, OK, Parker? Now what did the man say to you?"

"Nothing, he was just nice," Hayley insisted.

"Listen to me, kids, this man is trying to hurt Mommy and Daddy's friends. Now think, you guys, what did the man say?"

"He said to use our napkins," Katie replied, frightened by the look in Seeley's eyes.

Temperance picked the napkins up where Booth had thrown them on the ground, and read the clues on each.

"Katie is like music to my ears."

"The sun rises and sets on Hayley."

"My name is Parker. Ask me how I can solve this case."

Booth listened, growing more angry and more terrified with every word. "Don't you _ever_ talk to strangers, do you guys hear me?" he demanded, shaking a scared Parker slightly.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" the four-year-old wailed.

Booth was about to lecture the kids again, but Temperance laid a hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his angry haze and making him realize what he was doing to the kids. Mortified, he pulled all three into his arms, hugging them tight. "It's OK, Bub. Sh-sh-sh, Daddy's sorry, Buddy."

"Is something wrong, Mr. Booth?" Rose inquired.

"No, Rose, it's just that these agents will take you and the kids home, and keep you safe," Booth replied, relaxing his grip on the children. He bought three more ice cream cones and he and Temperance saw the kids off with the other two agents, before heading back to Booth's SUV.

Once they were on the road again, he called Cam. "Have you opened the head yet?" he demanded.

"_I just got done telling Zack that-_" she began, but Booth cut her off.

"Listen, he came after Katie, Hayley, and Parker," he explained.

"_Oh, no. Are they OK?_"

"You know there's something there, Cam - he told us - it's something we need, and he wants us to find it," he insisted, ignoring her question.

"_You're upset,_" she concluded.

"Of course I'm upset!" he replied sharply. "Listen, I _know_ there are protocols, but for crying out loud, Cam: he could have killed my kids!" He snapped the phone shut and threw it in the cup holder.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"How is she, Doc?" Seeley asked, once he and Temperance had gotten to the hospital to check on Cam after hearing that a poison had burst out of Caroline's head during the autopsy.

"She has an edema," the doctor stated. Seeley turned confused eyes on Temperance.

"A fluid build-up," she clarified. "Essentially, she's drowning. I'm sorry, Seeley."

"Does she have family that can be sent for?"

Booth nodded, mumbling about the amount of family Cam has, before walking off to first call Cam's boyfriend Andrew before informing her family. He loved Temperance, but had known Cam a long time and was finding the present situation harder to deal with than he would have thought.

"How long does she have?" Temperance asked the doctor, once Booth had left hearing range.

"Send for her family," the woman replied soberly.

Brennan sighed before moving off to search for her partner. She finally found him at the window in front of Cam's room, watching the medical personnel work over her.

"Considering the past between you and Dr. Saroyan," she began, coming up behind him and placing her cheek on his shoulder, "I'd like to say the right thing, Booth, but I don't know what it is. Usually I'd ask you or Angela."

He sighed, twisting to pull her into his arms and pressing kisses into her hair. "You just said it. Thanks."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"What's the poison, Hodgins?" Booth asked later, coming into the lab.

"I don't know what it is...there isn't enough left to determine its identity," the entomologist replied, frazzled.

"What _do_ you know?" the agent demanded.

"It's not any of the common poisons: cyanide, strychnine, or arsenic."

"Well then, call the hospital and tell them what it _isn't_," Booth instructed, heading out the door.

"Booth," Hodgins called him back. "I'm sorry, man." Seeley nodded.

"We just need to catch this guy and get the gerbil back in his cage," he stated, leaving again.

"Booth!" This time the call came from Zack. Booth stalked back, visibly angry.

"What?" he demanded.

"We have endowed Epps with more intelligence than he has," Zack informed him.

"What are you talking about?" Booth demanded.

"His clues are unsophisticated word games," he explained. "'Katie is like music to my ears.' 'The sun rises and sets on Hayley.' 'My name is Parker. Ask me how I can solve this case.'"

"I already asked Parker; he doesn't know anything."

Zack shook his head. "It doesn't necessarily have to mean your son Parker; it can be anything with the name of Parker. And I think I've heard of a street in Virginia where you can see an unobstructed view of the sunrise on the east end of it, and an equally unobstructed view of the sunset on the west end of it. You should do a Boolean search."

"A what?" Booth demanded.

"Boolean is..." At Booth's look, he amended himself. "Right, I won't explain it; I'll just do it."

"I'm leaving now," Booth stated. "The next person that calls me back is getting shot." He walked out the door, and Zack looked up from his computer, wimpering.

"What?" Hodgins inquired.

"I really need him to come back," the anthropologist informed his friend.

Hodgins rolled his eyes. "Booth!" he shouted, then turned to Zack. "Whatever you've got, better be worth dying for." Booth came back into the room, hand on his gun, glaring at Hodgins, who immediately pointed at Zack.

"There's a Katie's Music Shoppe owned by the Parker Sisters on Hayley Street in the town of Parker, just outside of Arlington," he spouted out. "Is that a big enough coincidence?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"_The explosion occurred and FBI Special Agents have searched the premises of the music store for escaped serial killer Howard Epps. At least one person was killed in the blast: Dr. Zack Addy, a Forensic Anthropologist who was working with the FBI, died at the scene. Special Agent Seeley Booth remains in critical condition._"

"That was creepy," Booth remarked, shutting off the television. They had gone to the music store and found Caroline's body in the back room, with a bag of the poison laying on top of it. The poison was a pressure-trigger for a bomb, which had exploded on Zack and Booth. Luckily, Seeley had enough foresight to place a table as a barrier between them and the body, and to pull Zack away from the blast and slam him on the ground behind the table.

"Why?" Zack demanded. "It's not true."

"Let's just hope that Epps buys it," Temperance responded soberly. "I should call the kids, see how they're doing."

"No need to call the kids, Honey," Booth stated. "You should go home and get some sleep, so you'll see them shortly."

"But the kids aren't at my apartment," she mentioned. When his head snapped up at that, she explained. "When you told the Rose and the kids that you were sending them home with the agents this afternoon, I handed Agent Burns the address for the new house, and the key to get in. I figured, since it's not common knowledge that we've bought a house yet, that the kids would be safer there than the apartment."

"That was a wise decision, Bones," Booth conceded. "Because now you can go back to the apartment and get some sleep without three kids and a nanny running around."

"What about Epps?" she inquired.

"I've got security all around your building," he explained. "They will see Epps if he enters it."

"No, I mean, if you were really in critical condition in the hospital, it would look a little strange for me to be heading to bed at the apartment."

Seeley thought about that for a moment, then conceded the point. "We'll send Angela with you, to make it look like she was forcing you to rest," he decided.

"Can I go home and get some sleep?" Zack wanted to know.

"Didn't you hear the news lady? You're dead!" Seeley pointed out. "Why does everyone argue with me? I'm the hero," he grumbled, walking out of Temperance's office.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"You didn't have your full strength," Temperance soothed.

Seeley had gone to visit Cam in the hospital when the poison's antidote was confirmed, and something she had said about plaster dust reminded Seeley about the apartment next door being renovated, and he had rushed back to save his fiancée. The serial killer had been there, thrown a crowbar and rushed out to the balcony, and minutes later, Epps had slipped through Booth's fingers and fallen to his death.

"Your wrist was still hurt after pulling Zack away from the explosion," she finished.

"My wrist wasn't hurt, Bones," he admitted lowly, beating himself up inside for letting another person die.

"I wish you'd have let me shoot him when I had the chance," she huffed, flopping back on the couch.

"No, you don't," he insisted, shaking his head vehemently as he stood up and stalked into the bedroom, hitting the door as he passed it.

Temperance continued to sit for a moment, finally waving away the remaining agent standing in her entryway and following Booth into the bedroom. He was laying on his side of the bed, turned away from her, both arms pillowed under his head. In the time he and Parker had been living with her, Temperance had come to know this as his sulking position. Carefully she slid onto the bed in front of him, scooting herself as close as possible against him so she wouldn't fall off the edge, and stared him in the eye.

"I think I can see now how you can classify killers," she reasoned. That got his attention. "You have a pregnant spouse, essentially, and three kids - all of whom Epps was after."

"I didn't kill Epps, Bones," Seeley stated, smiling wryly at what she was trying to do. "I thought about it, though. He let go of my hand, and I couldn't hold on to a hand that wasn't gripping mine back."

"I know," she murmured, touching his forehead with hers, as he had done for her once before. "I was there."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

**Poll Question: What kinds of things would you like to see happen in the show during season four? Are there any episodes that you weren't satisfied with the ending of and would like to see a better resolution to? Any new storylines you would like to see covered? Sky's the limit here, folks.**


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